Another 6 months later sees Rose with a job at the local gym so she can work out life she loves, and enjoying life. She hasn't seen Dimitri in months and she thinks she's finally gotten over her feelings. She can't help but miss him, though. Sonya and Rose's new (old?) best friend Lissa have told her things; Dimitri has started dating again, has managed to go back to work full-time, and misses her like crazy. It's been over a year since past Rose died and new Rose hopes that Dimitri has healed from it. She doesn't hate him anymore, just feels sad that it all ended how it did.
The only good thing about these past few months is that she's become really close friends with Lissa. She knows they were practically inseparable before Rose died and she's hoping they can get back to something like that again. They are complete opposites both in looks and personalities but they complement each other perfectly and Rose thinks it makes them a great team. Lissa's been a great help in getting her to move on, even if she doesn't know about Rose's past life, and Rose is eternally grateful for her.
As Rose is about to close up the gym one night, the bell above the door rings, signalling that someone has walked in. She looks up from the front desk and her brain stops functioning when she sees Dimitri. He freezes for a second when he recognizes her and when they make eye contact, Rose swears she could hear a pin drop with how silent it is.
"Hi," Dimitri whispers.
"H-hi," Rose replies, cursing at herself for stuttering. She should be stronger than this.
"I haven't seen you in so long, how are you?" Dimitri asks.
"Fine. You?"
"Fine."
It's silent again after that; Rose expecting Dimitri to explain why he's there and Dimitri waiting for Rose to ask.
"Can I do something for you?" Rose finally asks.
"I wanted to sign up to join the gym," Dimitri replies.
"Okay. I'm actually closing up now but if you come back tomorrow you can talk to someone."
"Will you be in?"
"No, I don't work Fridays."
"Can we go and get a drink, then?"
Rose hesitates, making Dimitri frown.
"Please?" he asks. "I want to catch up, I miss you."
Rose sighs but she has to admit that she's interested in hearing how Dimitri is doing.
"Okay. Give me 20 minutes and I'll be done," she relents. Dimitri nods and leaves to wait outside so Rose can finish closing up.
Once she's done, she locks the building door and follows Dimitri to Sonya's café. They get a table near the front and Dimitri heads over to the counter to order their drinks. He comes back a few minutes later and the first thing he does is start apologizing to Rose.
"I just still feel so awful about everything I said to you," he says. "You didn't deserve it, I was just confused and emotional and I lashed out. I'm so sorry."
"You don't need to apologize anymore," Rose says. "I've forgiven you. It actually helped, I was able to get over you knowing there was no way you felt the same, so I should probably thank you."
"Oh. You're welcome, I guess." There's something off about the way he says it but Rose refuses to look into it.
"I heard you're dating again, that's good," she says.
"Uh, yes. I've been on a few dates but none of them have turned into anything else," Dimitri says.
"Well, I'm sure you'll find someone you like soon." Dimitri nods but then looks down at his hands, ringing them together on the table.
"I researched what you have," he says hesitantly. "I still don't understand it but after the research and talking to Sonya and your mother, I realized that you were telling the truth. I'm sorry I didn't believe you, it was just a lot for my dead wife to come back to life in another body."
"I know, it's okay," Rose says. "It was hard for me to understand, too. I don't expect you to suddenly understand everything but I'm just happy that you know and I don't have to hide it anymore."
"I am, too," Dimitri agrees. "If it's not too much to ask, can I have your number? I got a new phone because I broke mine and I don't have it anymore."
There shouldn't be any harm in that, right? "Sure."
They exchange numbers, as Rose deleted Dimitri's so she wouldn't be hurt seeing messages from him, then Rose decides it's time for her to leave.
"I have to get up early tomorrow so I should probably go before it's too late," she says.
"Where are you living now?" Dimitri asks.
"I'm actually in the same apartment block as Sonya, just a few floors up."
"Can I walk you home, then?"
"I guess so."
They grab their things and head towards Rose's apartment building mainly in silence.
"Would you be interested in hanging out soon?" Dimitri asks. "I miss you a lot."
"I don't know, Dimitri..." Rose says. "I'm worried that if I spend too much time with you my feelings will come back."
"Is that such a bad thing?"
Rose gives him a look of confusion and finds that he looks completely serious.
"What are you talking about?" she demands.
"What if I told you that I want your feelings to come back?"
"Dimitri, stop."
"No, Rose, listen to me." Dimitri stops walking and grabs Rose's hand. "After finally realizing you were telling the truth, I realized my feelings for you. You're my Rose, I love you and I have to be with you again."
"So you only want to be with me because of who I used to be?" Rose asks. "Look, comrade, I may have the soul of your old wife but I'm also a brand new person. I don't want you to project your old relationship onto me, I'm not the same woman. If you like me because of who I am now then that's fine but I know you only like me because I used to be married to you."
"That's not it, I promise," Dimitri says. "I know you're not the same Rose that I fell in love with the first time but I've fallen for you again. You, Rose, the new one."
"How am I ever going to know if you're telling the truth?"
"I guess you won't, you'll just have to believe me."
Rose decides that they shouldn't have this conversation in public so she offers for Dimitri to come up to her apartment. Once there they sit on Rose's couch, Rose making sure to leave some space between them, but Dimitri scoots closer so their thighs are touching.
"Look, Rose, I know it's going to be hard for you to believe me but just listen," he says. "I know you're not my old Rose and that's okay. Your personalities are very similar but there are some huge differences and that's what I've fallen for; you're more outgoing than Rose was and I think it's sexy; you're more graceful than her, perhaps it's to do with your height, I don't know; and most of all, you're beautiful. Painfully beautiful. I know that's really superficial of me to say but I'm just so attracted to you. You are everything that I loved the first time with even more; you're just perfect to me.
"You know, I'm glad you're not the old Rose. I loved her more than anything but we weren't perfect together. As much as it might pain me to say, I think she was meant to pass when she did and you were meant to come to me. What you are now is my other half and I love you. I love you so much and I can't lose you."
Rose is speechless, she did not expect anything Dimitri said. She thought Dimitri might just have some innocent feelings for her but him saying he loves her...
"Dimitri, I-"
"You don't have to say anything, Roza, but you needed to know in case you wanted to leave again," Dimitri says. "I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable."
He tries to get off the couch but Rose quickly slides onto his lap before he can and cups his cheeks in her hands before leaning in to kiss him. Dimitri gasps in surprise but quickly recovers and eagerly kisses her back. He slides his hands into Rose's back pockets so she slips hers up under his shirt to rest on his abs. She begins to rock her hips against his and he groans, squeezing her ass in retaliation.
"I love you," he whispers.
"I love you, too," Rose replies, "so much."
Dimitri quickly flips Rose onto her back and hovers over her, not breaking the kiss once. He flicks his tongue back into Rose's mouth and she immediately sucks on it, gently scraping the top with her teeth.
"Rose, can I bor- oh."
Rose and Dimitri pull away from each other like they've been burnt when Sonya's voice rings through the apartment.
"Sonya, hi," Dimitri says, an awkward smile on his face.
"What's going on here?" Sonya asks wearily. She walks into the apartment so Dimitri climbs off Rose and holds his hand out to pull her up.
"You know how I told you about my feelings for Rose?" Dimitri says.
"Yeah..."
"Well, I told her. And she feels the same."
Sonya looks at Rose for confirmation so she nods, busying herself fixing her hair.
"So are you two dating now?" Sonya asks.
"We haven't talked about it yet," Dimitri replies. "We should, though."
"Okay then, I'll leave you two alone to talk." She turns to leave but just before she opens the door, she stops and turns back around to them. "Oh, right, Rose, can I borrow some milk?"
"Yeah, sure," Rose replies. She and Dimitri wait in silence while Sonya heads into the kitchen to grab the milk and once she's gone, they awkwardly turn to look at each other.
"Do you want to stay over tonight?" Rose asks.
"Is that okay?" Dimitri asks. She nods so he agrees, thanking her with a smile.
"It's late, let's go to bed," she suggests. She jumps off the couch and starts to head to her bedroom to change but Dimitri grabs her arm to stop her.
"Let's talk about us," he says.
Rose groans, not wanting to have to deal with that right now. "Can we do it tomorrow? I'm really tired and it's been a long day."
Dimitri looks a little hesitant, as if he's worried she'll leave again before they can, but eventually nods, smiling softly at her again. Walking into her room, she gives him one of her spare toothbrushes and in less than 20 minutes they're lying in Rose's bed, face to face.
"Do you actually love me?" she asks.
"Yes, Roza, I love you," he says. He takes Rose's hand in his and kisses all of her fingers. "You mean so much to me and I'm so glad I have you back."
Rose smiles and wiggles closer to Dimitri to bury her face in his chest. He wraps his arm around her waist and she beams when she feels his laugh rumble through her.
"Good night, Roza," he whispers.
"'Night, comrade," Rose replies. And within minutes she falls sleep with a smile on her face for the first time in months.
Author's Note
I know there's like a really big, sudden time skip but I just wanted to get to the exciting parts sooner, lol. There is one more part after this so we're almost done! Sorry it took so long to post an update but I hope you enjoyed :)