Me: Dimitri since you're finally awake wanna do the disclaimer?
Dimitri: I just woke up.
Me: Come on please everyone is so excited you're here.
Dimitri: Fine She doesn't own anything but the plot.
Chapter Six : Awake
"Comrade! Can you hear me ?"My hand holds his tighter than usual.
Dry and dusty like a desert in a drought he answers "Roza, I never thought… I'd see you again." he coughs in between words "What happened?"
Pouring some water from the pitcher on the side of the bed I hand it to him "Careful Comrade you've been out a long time." Hearing his voice, however rough it may be, sets my heart on fire. "In the cave, you wouldn't leave until everyone else was out, but I couldn't just let you die in there. I went in after you." My breath catches as I try to hold back tears. " You were in bad shape….Alberta and I had to drag out back. Lissa tried to heal you but she couldn't…"
"How long Roza?"
"Just over a month." it's barely a whisper.
Pushing himself up (with difficulty) he looks at me staring me down "Going in after me was the craziest, stupid idea you've ever had." my heart shatters and I turn to leave, but his hand grips mine pulling me back with a surprising amount of strength, he brushes my face cupping my cheek and I nuzzle into it " and it only makes me love you more."
Tears are rolling down my eyes "I love you too. I thought I was going to lose you." Carefully I place a small kiss on his lips, it feels like coming home after a long trip safe and sound. As I pull away I realize something " Comrade your mom! I should go get her. I promised I would if you woke up." I move toward the door.
His eyebrows raise as excitement fills the room with life "Mamma is here?"
"She arrived just a day or two ago, I promise I'll be right back, don't go anywhere." I tease.
I practically run into the lobby slipping and sliding through the halls "He's awake!" Abe and Olena's heads shoot up and tears fill Olenas eyes. Lissa must have left to change because she's not there. The two remaining of our little group follow me back to his room. The light in Dimitris' eyes grows as his mother enters the room followed by Abe and myself.
"My boy I'm so glad you're okay , we had almost given up hope." She pulls him into a hug trying to avoid the wire iv still attached to him.
"Mamma, I've missed you."
Olena turns to me "You found yourself a wonderful woman Dimka. She fought hard for you."
"I know mamma I know. Roza is one of a kind." He seems to just realize that Abe is standing in the corner watching the scene play out. He gulps "What is Zmey doing here? "
Abe smiles devilishly, opening his mouth no doubt to say something slightly terrifying, probably a little threatening. I beat him however "Don't torture him old man he's been through enough, don't you think you?"
"Ah, Kiz, that depends entirely on how he treats you."
Dimitris' eyes grow wide and his face pales a bit, "Roza do you know who that man is?"
"Yes, well kind of that is my father."
If he hadn't literally just woken up from a coma I probably would have teased him for the look that crossed his face. "Zmey is your father?"
Abe does speak up this time " You would do well to remember it son, when pursuing my daughter."
"Alright old man, enough play time don't you have anyone else to threaten?"
Turning he opens the door "As a matter of fact I do, I'll talk to you later kiz."
I roll my eyes turning back to Dimitri " I guess I know where I get my can-do attitude."
Olena bursts out laughing as Comrade shakes his head, a smirk crawling across his gorgeous face. "Mamma, would you mind giving us a moment please?"
"Of course I'll go find the doctor."
Here we go he's gonna go all zen serious on me "Already Comrade what is it?"
Sighing he patts the bed next to him " Who said there's something?"
"I know you, what's on your mind?"
Wrapping his arms around my waist he leans into my back breathing deep "Who knows?"
I knew this conversation was coming. I just hated how soon it came "My mom, she's pissed by the way, Abe, Alberta she guessed after everything that happened in the cave. Lissa and Dr.O. People are talking though, I guess running into an impossible situation and risking your life for someone against orders doesn't exactly scream ``mentor student."
"What did Alberta say?"
I grimace, realizing she might have more to say now that he's awake. " Well we had just found out about the coma , she said she should be angry but lecturing me didn't seem like it would be helpful at that point." Silence covers us and I know I have to ask the question I'm terrified to ask, especially knowing about the little miracle I haven't told him exists "Dimitri... did you ...change your mind? If you do tell me now please don't drag it on." it's barely audible.
It takes him too long to answer and my heart breaks for me and my baby after everything I'm still not enough.
"Roza look at me." he whispers, pulling me around "Nothing could ever make me change my mind. I love you, I wasted so much time pretending I didn't and I don't want to waste anymore. We just need to be ready for whatever is going to happen."
Touching my head to his and closing my eyes I breathe him in relief flooding me. "I love you too. Comrade there's something I need to tell you-"
The door opens and the Doctor comes in interrupting the moment. "Guardian Belikov, nice to see you're awake, how are you feeling?"
I hop off the bed and take my normal seat as he answers "Surprisingly alert."
The doctor laughs "Let's take a look at your vitals and do a blood test if everything looks good you should be free to go tomorrow with the expectation you take it easy for a while."
I shiver as he draws blood damn I hate needles. The rest of the examination goes by quickly and the doctor says we just need to wait for the blood results. Comrade puts on the clothes his mother had brought earlier, finally unhooked from the machines, and pulls me down next to him wrapping his arms around me.
I snuggle closer, sighing contently "I missed this so much."
He kisses my neck gently causing a shiver to run down my spine. "What happened after the attack did classes go back to normal?"
"Not right away we only just started classes a week ago, I didn't really do much other than go to classes and come back here. I ran in the mornings. Most of the teachers have been taking it easy. Except for Stan he's still the same perfect ass- shit." I sit up.
"What? What's wrong?" Dimitri looks toward me concerned.
"Nothing, I just forgot I have an assignment due in Stans class tomorrow." I mutter pulling my backpack onto the bed and reaching for the binder inside but I lose my grip and end up just pulling the bottom of the backpack spilling the contents onto the bed, including the ultrasound and prenatals.
Dimtri stops mid laugh pulling the edge of the picture from under a notebook.
"Rose, what is this?"
Flinching at the use of my normal name I face him "Don't jump to any conclusions Comrade please just listen okay?"
His eyes are hard but he nods me on, so I hand him the letter from Mark. "I found this in your room, I went to use some of your special salve after I went a little overboard on the punching bag. Have you read it?"
He shakes his head while taking the letter. Slowly I see the light return along with understanding, and hope maybe a little guilt. "What are you saying, Roza?"
"I was going to tell you before the doctor came in, I only found out just before you went into surgery….." I know I'm rambling but Dimitri patiently listens waiting for me to get to the point. "I know this wasn't at all planned and I know it makes things so much more complicated...but I don't regret it and if it's not what you want I won't ask you for anything…"
He kisses my forehead lightly "It's okay you can tell me."
"I'm… I'm pregnant." I mutter, turning away afraid of what he might say.
Strong warm arms wrap around me tightly pulling me close while turning me to face him, he looks me deep in the eyes then leans down and places a small kiss on my lower abdomen. Causing me to release a breath I didn't know I was holding "I'm so sorry Roza if I would have known we would have been more careful, you've already had so much taken away and this is such a life changing thing, but it happened and I'm here now. No matter what, I promise to be there for you and the baby. I'm not going anywhere."
Tears are falling for the billionth time and he wipes them away "I haven't had a lot of time to really process it yet, honestly I'm a little excited. Don't get me wrong I've never been more terrified in my entire life, but it's a little person that's a part of both of us, it just feels so surreal."
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for all of it, I'm sorry you had to find out alone." his voice breaks.
"Oh, Comrade I wasn't completely alone, Liss was with me but you'll be there for the other important things." leaning down kissing him fiercely all but forgetting my assignment.
The morning, well the vampire morning comes too fast, the nausea in my stomach churns far too early and I dash to the bathroom dry heaving against the toilet.I feel a cold hand on my head and look up to see a glass of water. "You should be in bed asleep, resting." I take the glass of water, sipping it gingerly.
"No, I should be right here with you."
"Come on, let's both go back to bed for a minute." I stand pulling him towards me. "We're going to have to tell a few people today and I just want a few more minutes of peace."
"You know Roza, I don't know who to be more afraid of, your mother or your father."
This earns him a small laugh as we snuggle back together. "Abe seems to care what I think, what makes me happy. I would definitely be more afraid of my mother, but I don't care what she thinks, honestly I don't even care to tell her."
"We don't have to but you know she'll find out eventually."'
Wanting nothing more than to bury myself in his arms and never move I turn to face him "We'll have to tell Alberta, I don't think I can train the same way. Trials are coming soon too. I don't even know if they'll let me go through it. What about after graduation what will we do then? How are we going to juggle being parents and Guardians?"
He strokes my head, kissing me softly. "One thing at a time Roza first things first, once we get the okay for me to leave we'll get some breakfast and go see Alberta."
After getting discharged we head toward the cafeteria to meet Lissa and Sparky. It's still ungodly early, the campus is quiet with only a few students moseying around, there are even fewer in the cafeteria. Which makes going through the line quick and easy. Since nobody's really there, Dimtri takes the risk of sitting with us.
Lissa graceful as always welcomes Dimitri back "It's good to see you up and at it."
"Thank you prin-Lissa."
Did you tell him
Taking a small sip of orange juice I answer "I told him last night."
"How are you feeling? Did you take your vitamins?"
I love that she really has such a motherly personality. Hopefully it will rub off on me "I have it right here." I hold up the giant horse sized pill "I'm supposed to eat first. I'm fine, honestly just tired."
Chris looks between the three of us "Someone wanna clue me in or… were you planning on having a half convo in each other's heads?"
I thought you might want to tell him.
"Don't get your panties twist sparky we'll clue you in but you're sworn to secrecy, or surrogate brother or not I'll pound your face in."
He just rolls his eyes "Yeah, yeah Rose is a badass. I won't tell you what's going on?"
"I'm pregnant Sparky."
To everyone's surprise he stands up and gives me a hug "Listen Belikov you better be good to her or I'll torch your ass."
"Didn't know you cared so much Sparky."
Pulling away he sits back down "Yeah, yeah I don't have Rose let's not dwell on it okay?"
Shaking my head I finish my breakfast and turn to Dimitri "Ready?"
Taking my hand he nods and together we head towards Alberta's office.