Bela's lips were like silk, and for what felt like years, all Ethan could do was lose himself in them.

But in reality, mere seconds had passed, and it was mere seconds until the inappropriacy of it all just sunk in – how he'd ambushed Bela. The poor woman hardly saw it coming, and definitely did not ask for a kiss. Ethan had to pull back now, or –

Bela's hands landed on Ethan's neck, drawing a trail up to where her fingers could toy with his blonde hair. Then her lips pressed back against his – as if having been awoken from a deep trance; it silenced any doubts in Ethan's mind, and whatever instinct he had to pull away. The dam was broken, and Ethan was prepared to drown in Bela.

With her velvety lips fully reciprocating his, Ethan kissed Bela. All his haywire man-brain could process was Bela. She was everywhere, assailing his senses and rendering him stunned. The smoothness of her lips as they pressed down on his. The taste of her – just a tad minty from toothpaste, thanks to the immaculate care that went to her pearly whites. The scent of sweet berries from her hair, and the smell of fresh bread tirelessly clinging to her clothes. Her fingers grabbing hold of his hair in a gentle fistful. The way her curvy figure pressed close to him, ensuring there wasn't an inch of space they were unconnected.

Bela was all Ethan could sense.

Just Bela, Bela, Bela.

Ethan kissed her like the world around them could melt away, and a new age would come and go before he noticed. He kissed her deeply, thumbs stroking her cheeks and relishing in her. Her full, soft lips were home, and he had been away for far, far too long. He kissed her until he was light in the head, and when they parted, it was only for a second, and only with their lips a hair's breadth away – because after Ethan breathed in Bela's contented, dreamy sighs, their lips found each other just as quickly.

Even as their pace grew hot, and Bela's needy hands held his hair tighter – Ethan took his time with her. He savored Bela like she was the first and only piece of chocolate he would ever taste in his life. He savored Bela like she would vanish into thin air the moment he let go – and he had to make this moment last forever.

His hands wandered. They could not be content to cup Bela's face and memorize the contours of her cheeks any longer. They were starved explorers, and Bela's body was the new world they sought to map. They found Bela's shoulders, slender and strong, and Ethan's thumbs took their time grazing along the fabric of her dress. They traveled down her arms before slipping to her waist – and if Ethan's mind were not so stupefied by Bela's kiss, he would have marveled at how perfectly his hands fit in the valley of her waist – the oasis to his wandering touch.

A sound filled the air – akin to a grumble or a mumble. It came from neither Ethan nor Bela.

Rose.

Rose was the only other person in this room.

Gently – reluctantly – Ethan pulled back, but not before giving Bela's well-kissed lips one last goodbye.

He had to blink several times to pull Bela into focus, as she appeared to do the same.

There was an entire room around them, including – especially including – Ethan's long-lost daughter. Contrary to what his mind had held to be true, they were not suspended in a void, where the only thing that mattered was the taste of Bela's lips.

Bela had kissed him stupid and stunned. Even now with the lucidity returning to him, Ethan did not trust his mouth to form words – because all they wanted was to return to Bela's lips and get lost in them all over again. He did not even trust his mind to form thoughts, because all they would think was Bela, Bela, Bela.

Bela could ask Ethan in that moment what 2+2 was, and he would answer her name.

The silence hung in the air, save for their collectively shallow breaths. It drew on, moments turning into long seconds, and Bela stared up at Ethan with parted lips and big, longing eyes – and Ethan knew he had to say something to break the stillness.

It was as if his mind had reverted to the last stable save point in his hard drive, because he let out in a whisper, "I'm sorry."

Bela's brows pitched together, and she tilted her head.

"I – uh," Ethan cleared his throat, focusing on Bela's honey golden eyes. If he looked away for only a moment, he would be drawn back to her lips. "I shouldn't have sprung that on you. I wasn't thinking."

Recognition crossed Bela's face, and she gave a breathless laugh. Shaking her head, she told him, "It's okay. You have nothing to be sorry for."

Ambushing anyone with a kiss never sat right by Ethan, so he meant to go on, "I –"

"Ethan," Bela cut him off, smiling a coy smile. She placed a hand on his face, stroking his cheeks as she told him, "Do not worry." Her eyes flit to the side – to Rose's crib – then back to him. Her voice remained featherlight as she drew her hand back. "Go ahead."

Pulling in a deep breath, Ethan gave Bela a grateful nod. He caught her hand on the way down, giving her a final squeeze before turning to face the crib. He set his hands on the cold, gold-trimmed railing. It was only now that he had the chance to appreciate the lavishness of Rose's crib. While mainly built from wood, the crib was decorated by sculpted gold trim in signature Dimitrescu fashion. Beige cushions lined the interior, and the crib itself was far longer and roomier than the crib back at the house.

Ethan took that time to cast his gaze around the rest of the room, considering he had not gotten the chance to do so earlier.

The spacious, elegantly furnished room was dimly lit, and featured all that one would expect from a noblewoman's master bedroom. There was a king-sized (or perhaps giant noblewoman-sized) bed towards the other side of the room, complete with a canopy. The Lady's clothes were stashed away in oversized white wardrobes, while a nine-foot-tall mannequin was adorned with the castle matriarch's usual long white dress. There was a dresser loaded with all the makeup one could ask for, and equipped with a towering mirror. An old rotary phone sat on the surface, currently disconnected; its cord was neatly bundled up on the dresser. A sofa took up the space by the large windows, with fluffy pillows resting on the cushioning.

What Ethan had not expected was everything else.

The shelf closest to the crib was positively overflowing with baby essentials. Baby food was packed in numerous jars, enough to rival a small grocery store. From where Ethan stood, he could see a half-consumed jar of Rose's favorite – that blend of parsnip and carrot. Varying tins of infant formula stood at the ready, matched by a small army of glass bottles for feeding.

Vitamin and medicine bottles lined the shelves, perfectly organized – and Ethan was fairly sure they were legitimate supplements and medicine, and not some bullshit Miranda had concocted. The labels on the bottles and boxes were the same as what Ethan had back home. Some were still sealed and ready to be administered at a later time.

On the lower shelves were toys. At Rose's age, the old teethers and rattlers largely did the job. But she was growing fast, and that meant the need for the more "complex" toys which stimulated her brain. The Dimitrescu House was apparently equipped to address both fields.

There were light-up rattles and teether toys resting on the shelves. On the carpeted floor, closer to Lady Dimitrescu's bed, was a bright green and blue activity gym, setup and ready for Rose to play in.

Ethan's eyes struggled to keep up with all the toys in the room, and on the shelves. The ball poppers, the stacking cups – even a light-up piano was tucked away into the lowest tier of the shelf. Rubber blocks littered the floor around the crib, along with what looked like a stuffed wolf.

There was no shortage of stuffed animals. They came in all shapes and sizes – bears, rabbits, lambs – you name it, and there was a matching equivalent lying on the floor, or on the shelves, turning this nook of the room into a stuffed animal zoo.

A gramophone sat on a nearby table as well, and a record was loaded in and ready to play. If the trend of all the baby care observed thus far would follow, then it was likely some classical music on the record. Mia had been very particular about the music they played for Rose. She was all about making sure there was scientific backing to the music, ensuring Rose's brain was properly stimulated. Ethan, on the other hand, was all about making sure Rose grew up with good taste in music; he had a habit of swapping Mozart out for Led Zeppelin whenever Mia wasn't around.

Books were a-plenty too. Ethan had to wonder if these bedtime tales were all sourced from the Duke, or if some had come from Daniela's massive library. In either case, there was some comfort to be found in the mundanity of the books he eyed. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Goodnight Moon, The Snowy Day – these were all titles Ethan or Mia had read to Rose at one point or another.

It brought a smile to his face to see some Romanian-English bilingual books on the shelves, too. That was an eventuality Ethan and Mia had been preparing for, in case Chris intended for them to stay in Romania for good. Rose could grow up speaking both, and Ethan and Mia were supposed to play catch up in their down time.

As Ethan scanned the room, he picked up on more and more details he missed on the initial pass.

The crib itself was strategically placed. The distance from other furniture – even the baby shelf – ensured Rose would not be able to reach any loose items. The crib's design also alleviated the need for one of Ethan and Mia's most heated debates – the need for a crib bumper. Rose wasn't going to get an arm or a leg stuck between any bars, because there were no bars.

There was a changing table as well – something Ethan had earlier filed away in his head as simply being a low shelf. Its tabletop gave a different story on the second glance – when you noted how clear it was, and the only thing occupying the surface were baby wipes, diapers, and other essentials.

The ornate ceramic space heater kept the room pleasantly warm, at just the right temperature for Rose. It was tucked away in one corner, and a baby blue fence blocked it away, ensuring Rose couldn't reach it. The lone electrical outlet, situated by the dresser, was concealed by a safety cover; Lady Dimitrescu's hair drier sat on the dresser, with the electrical cable neatly wrapped around it. The rotary phone's cable was similarly unplugged, and it sunk in to Ethan that this was to avoid waking Rose. That same dresser's drawers were all latched shut as well, to prevent accidental tugging open.

The large rug had a non-slip pad peeking out from one frayed corner. Even if Rose did slip despite those countermeasures, there wasn't a single exposed sharp furniture edge in sight. They had all been wrapped up in either safety padding, or a bumper.

Finally, Ethan's eyes landed on Lady Dimitrescu's bedside table. Next to the oil lamp and brass alarm clock was a book. The salmon cover was worn, and even from here, in the dim light, Ethan could see the pages looked to be yellowing. Yet the cover art was readable – Winne-the-Pooh.

Ethan didn't know whether to feel nauseated or touched by the idea – that Lady Dimitrescu read his daughter bedtime stories from first edition children's books.

"Jesus," Ethan finally said.

Normally, taking care of a baby did not mean turning your personal bedroom into a childproof bunker. Clearly, Lady Dimitrescu thought otherwise.

Bela's hand landed on his arm, and he had to suppress a flinch. Again, so lost in his thoughts and observations, he had nearly forgotten he wasn't alone. Her voice came softly, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Ethan shook his head, "I…"

Rose had been afforded the same five-star treatment he had gotten – sans all the torture, bloodshed, and Cassandra's fucked up definition of 'entertainment.' All his anxiety the past two weeks were for naught.

Ethan could only hope that would remain to be the case. If Miranda had gotten her hands on Rose, it would be a different story. Chris' active interference had allowed this deviation from Miranda's plan to happen. His ongoing guerilla war afforded Ethan the time to grieve, bond with Bela, and reunite with his perfectly cared for daughter.

Ethan swallowed hard.

Maybe – just maybe, because Chris still had so much to answer for – Ethan owed the bastard a broken nose and not a 12-gauge to the head.

He wouldn't let all the son of a bitch's effort go to waste. If time was what Chris was inadvertently giving Ethan, then he would continue spending it well.

Slowly, gently, Ethan lowered his hand to Rose. He hesitated at the last moment, hand hovering in the air – as if his daughter may crumble to ash if he finally made contact with her.

But such fears were unfounded, and Ethan was beginning to learn that not everything he touched turned to shit. Horror and ruin did not await him at every turn.

He had kissed Bela and not gotten slapped in the face, after all.

Ethan ran a finger along Rose's midsection, bringing it back and forth in gentle strokes. Rose could be a light sleeper, waking up at the drop of a pin. It was likely she had been recently fed, which was why she wasn't immediately stirring.

It meant Ethan was undoing whoever's work – probably Tatyana, since the castle matriarch was absent – to put his daughter to sleep. Once Rose was stirred from her sleep, it was a good fifty-fifty chance whether she'd pass out with ease or be awake for the rest of the night. The irony wasn't lost on Ethan – knowing that for a change, he was undoing someone else's hard work of putting Rose to bed.

What his world had come to, Ethan still did not know sometimes.

With a combination between a hum and a grumble, Rose wriggled, and her bright eyes opened. Her expression shifted, clearly displeased to have been rudely awoken from her slumber. Then her eyes focused, locking onto Ethan's.

Rose smiled.

A breathless laughed slipped from Ethan's lips, and he whispered, "Hey, Rosie."

Rose cooed, raising her little arms up towards Ethan.

Ethan's heart was just about ready to melt into goo in his chest. Never one to say no to his baby girl – Ethan reached for her.

He extended both his arms, preparing to scoop her up. It was then that he grew conscious of the tremble forming in his hands. He flexed his fingers once and swallowed the lump in his throat.

Ethan wasted no more time and slowly took Rose into his arms. It only then occurred to him how it had only been two weeks since their separation. The blurred passage of time in this castle was something Ethan had pondered time and time again. But he knew that, in his case with Rose, the time had felt much longer due to the grinding anxiety in his mind over her condition. Despite Bela's reassurances from before, Ethan worried just the same – because what kind of father would be if he didn't?

Hearing Rose's giggling, cradled in his arms – Ethan felt just a tad more whole.

Maybe he really was going to make it out of here alive, and with his daughter. Maybe it wasn't all so bad after all.

Maybe all hope wasn't lost.

While one of Rose's little hands hung in the air, the other reached for Ethan's chin. Ethan chuckled as Rose patted and scratched the thick stubble accumulating on his face – just shy of being able to call it an actual beard.

"What do you think, Rosie?" Ethan grinned at Rose, who watched him with curious eyes. "Should I keep it? I don't think I've grown my beard out since college."

He got a giggle in response, and Ethan took that as a yes.

"Okay," He tapped Rose on the nose with a light finger, earning another giggle. Ethan lowered his face, brushing his nose against Rose's in an Eskimo kiss. "I'll trust your judgment, sweetheart."

A delighted sound from Rose, and she continued tapping Ethan's face.

Ethan could bask in the contentment of this moment forever. His girl – his baby girl – back in his arms again. The relief, the joy, the love – they were all overwhelming feelings, and it wasn't long before his vision blurred at the edges. He pressed his lips to Rose's forehead and shut his eyes tight. It did little to stop the tears from welling up and slowly trickling down his face.

It sunk in to Ethan – it well and truly sunk in that this was real.

This wasn't one of his daydreams that his mind conjured in between afternoon catnaps in his cell. He wasn't about to wake up feeling emptier and lonelier than he ever thought possible. Rose wasn't about to simply vanish from his arms in a puff of smoke.

This was real.

Ethan swallowed the lump in his throat and sniffled. He shook his head to himself, willing his emotions to not spoil the moment.

A lithe hand landed on Ethan's back, and he found Bela watching him; her brows were pitched, and she wore a cautious smile. An unspoken question settled on her lips.

Gently clearing his throat, Ethan answered, "I'm okay."

Bela's warm eyes ran over him a moment longer before she nodded. She glanced at Rose's hand, still tapping his stubbly chin in between giggles and coos. Bela approached the baby shelves with soft footfalls. After a moment, she retrieved a teether in the shape of a banana, extending it to Ethan.

It wasn't an interaction Ethan had ever pictured between him and Bela in a million years. Yet that just seemed to be the general trend in this castle – to expect the unexpected, or else he would just be taken off guard every hour on the hour.

With a soft, "Thanks," Ethan took the pacifier, bringing it over to Rose. She readily grabbed it in her hands, and promptly put it in her mouth. She was thoroughly taken by the banana, humming and giggling while teething on it. But even as her gummy mouth went to work, her eyes bounced back and forth between Ethan and Bela.

"Over dinner, Mother said that Miranda called an emergency meeting." Bela clasped her hands together as she spoke, "I figured that there was no better time to do this than the moment she rode out in her carriage."

Ethan idly stroked Rose's tummy as he nodded along. "Less likely to get caught this way."

"Exactly. Tatyana returned to her quarters for the meantime as well, after feeding Rose." Bela's eyes went to the sofa by the window. "Though she will likely be back soon. Maybe half an hour at most." A small pause, and Bela gave a regretful, bittersweet smile. "Unfortunately."

On their first night together, after Ethan nearly gave himself hypothermia, Bela had spoken of Tatyana. Aside from being the grand chambermaid, she was supposedly the one who looked after Rose when Lady Dimitrescu was out.

Ethan followed Bela's gaze to the sofa. For confirmation, he asked, "Tatyana stays here to look after Rose?"

"Mhm," Bela hummed. She looked rather coy, with an embarrassed smile on her face as she admitted, "I may have shadowed Tatyana the past few days to keep track of her movements. It is how I discerned her routine," Bela motioned to the sofa, "and how I discovered she has been sleeping in Mother's room since Rose arrived."

Ethan bobbed his head in slow nods as the mental images formed in his mind – of the giant noblewoman rocking his daughter in her arms, before handing Rose over to the much smaller Tatyana.

"Olga substitutes for Tatyana sometimes," Bela added. "Since Tatyana has her other duties, she has Olga look after Rose as well. That way, she is never alone for long."

Rose wasn't just being looked after. She was downright pampered. More than she ever was – try as Ethan and Mia might to give Rose everything she could ever need. It was impossible for them to compete with an actual rich-ass noblewoman in a castle, staffed by a small armada of maids. Rose's every beck and call could be answered at a moment's notice here, whereas Ethan and Mia struggled to juggle the energy of raising a child alongside their day to day lives.

Lady Dimitrescu, Tatyana, and Olga were essentially working in shifts to ensure Rose was cared for around the clock. They prepared the mind-numbing quantity of baby supplies – much of it the same brand and model as what Ethan and Mia had in the old house. They kept his baby girl fed and healthy and happy.

Certainly happier and healthier than Rose would be if Ethan decided to try and flee with her in that moment. The wintery Romanian wilderness was no place for an infant like Rose. Even if Ethan got past the Moroaice, the Samce, and the Lycans – the weather and the landscape conspired to keep Ethan trapped in this valley.

Neither was Ethan's nor Bela's room a place for Rose. They didn't have all the supplies, food, and toys needed to look after Rose (and the alarm bells would go off the moment Tatyana found the crib empty). The rooms were not babyproofed to the same meticulous degree that Lady Dimitrescu's bedroom was. Fuck – this place wasn't even a bedroom anymore. It was looking like a goddamn nursery more than anything else.

The melancholy settled in Ethan's heart as the minutes trickled by and he held Rose close.

This encounter with Rose would not last forever, no matter how much he wished it. He couldn't take Rose back to his cell or Bela's room. He obviously couldn't escape with her either. Ethan would have to leave Rose here in Tatyana and Lady Dimitrescu's care. He would go back to counting the days – the hours – until he could see his baby girl again.

Ethan blew out a quiet sigh as his eyes dropped back down to his daughter. She continued to gnaw on the toy banana without a care in the world, acting as the very image of tranquility.

Rose was safe and cared for. That was what was important. Even if she was away from him, at least she was being pampered up here; that was more than Ethan – a lowly prisoner – could ask for. He could accept that silver lining to dull the heartache of being away from Rose. The silver linings and the little things were always the key to coping, Ethan had learned over the years.

Not to mention, Bela had already committed to setting up future visits. When he was first locked up here, and he learned Rose was in the same castle, Ethan didn't think he'd ever get visitation time. All the more had he never thought one of his supposed jailers would stand so close to his side, a supportive hand on his back as he cradled his daughter in his arms.

As he had already told himself earlier – it wasn't all bad. All hope was not lost. Not when Bela had his back.

Ethan looked at the blonde in question, to find her standing inches away, a small smile on her face as she looked at Rose.

"Do you wanna hold her?"

He didn't put too much thought into the words. They just felt right.

Bela looked up at him, eyes wide and brows going up in surprise. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, failing to form words. Eventually, she managed out, "I beg your pardon?"

Ethan repeated, "Do you wanna hold Rosie?"

Her lips parted, and the shyness bloomed across Bela's face. Her eyes darted between Ethan and his daughter, as if it hadn't ever occurred to her that she would be put in this position. Coyly, she asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Ethan bobbed one shoulder in a nonchalant shrug. "I'm sure Rosie doesn't mind." He licked his lips, adding, "I don't mind."

It was only thanks to Bela that he could hold Rose again, after all.

"Okay," Bela whispered, brows still gently pitched as she smiled.

Ethan transferred Rose over to Bela, who accepted the girl into her arms with all the care in the world. His mouth opened, and he meant to instruct Bela over how to properly hold the baby – but it was soon apparent that Bela was no stranger to this. Bela held Rose securely in her arms, supporting his daughter's head and neck with an uncanny familiarity.

Bela had once been a doctor of sorts, after all. Perhaps she was a little rusty, but this was clearly not her first time cradling an infant. It was not outside the realm of possibility that Bela had delivered babies into the world, long ago. Such responsibilities were the bread and butter for small town doctors like Bela, largely cut off from most of the country. The rich history of Bela's past life still slipped Ethan's mind from time to time – in large part due to the fact he still barely knew a thing about that time of her life.

Rose looked up at Bela with a certain curiosity in her eyes, a smile steadily forming on her face. With one hand securing the banana teether to her mouth, Rose used the other to reach up and take hold of Bela's loose blonde curls. It elicited a giggle from Bela, who cooed, "Hello there, little one." She gently shook her head, dangling her hair in Rose's face, tickling her nose. "Do you like my hair?"

As Ethan watched his daughter play with Bela's golden hair, a wave of sadness washed over him.

Because, for just a moment, Ethan could see brunette hair wrapped in Rose's hand, instead of blonde. He could see a beige cardigan draped over slender shoulders, instead of a black dress. He could see hazel eyes, crinkled at the corners, as they peered down at his baby girl, instead of amber eyes.

For just a moment, every cell in Ethan's body tensed, almost repelled by Bela standing where Mia should be standing – cradling his daughter when Mia should be cradling her.

For just a moment, Ethan wanted nothing more in the world than for Mia to be in Bela's place.

The moment passed as quickly as it came when Rose released the blonde hair, choosing instead to palm Bela's ample chest in search for a drink. Eyes wide, and lips split into a smile that was equally amused and embarrassed, Bela laughed softly.

Ethan snorted a laugh out as well, taking in the sight of Bela's flushed face as she chewed her bottom lip.

Bela made to gently pry Rose's hand away, only for Rose to switch targets, and wrap her fingers around Bela's pointer finger instead. "Well, I would love to help you, Rosie, but unfortunately," Bela resumed enveloping Rose's face in her hair, sending her into another fit of giggles, "That is not going to happen."

Ethan took in a deep breath, counted, and silently released it.

Mia was gone.

Mia was gone, and she wasn't coming back. It wasn't like when she had gone missing in the hurricane years ago. This time, she wasn't coming back again. Not after Chris shot her to pieces on the dining room floor. It hurt like hell, and left deep scars in his heart that even time would not heal. Ethan loved Mia more than he could ever love anything on this earth, and she was gone.

He would always see her, not unlike how Daniela still saw Maria. Mia would never be far from his mind or his heart, and it was a blessing and a curse Ethan was learning to deal with. Up until the moment Ethan would be buried six feet under, whether in a year or forty years from now – Mia would always be a part of him, and nothing could change that.

But.

But, it did not mean rejecting and repressing the whirlwind of emotions that Bela Dimitrescu awoke in him – that they awoke in each other.

Bela was good.

She was many things – brilliantly smart, beautiful enough to make him see stars, and had wit sharper than any blade and quicker than any whip. She was also an enigma, and Ethan was not naïve to that darkness Bela harbored and kept locked deep down in her soul. But it was a darkness Bela had clearly been grappling with for years, and Ethan was nothing if not willing to try and understand her. She mattered to Ethan more than words, and perhaps for longer than he could truly recognize and realize it.

The circumstances of their meeting, and everything that followed may have been fifty different shades of fucked up, but that did not take away from the goodness of Bela's character, or the purity of her intent, or the validity of her emotions.

Ethan liked her. Like the tapeworm she was, she wriggled her way in and settled right into his heart.

He knew he was probably crazier than a circus of clowns, and he probably belonged in a padded room – but who gave a shit? Certainly not him. Not after everything.

The rational thoughts were still present, anyway. They had not packed up and left him to his insanity completely. If they had, he would not have felt that wave of sadness seeing Bela stand where Mia once did.

Ethan knew that in the presence of any normal circumstances, his newfound feelings would simply be too soon. He knew that there should be some well-deserved guilt worming around in his gut, tossing his stomach acid like a tropical storm.

But there wasn't a single fucking normal circumstance surrounding his relationship with Bela.

Whatever guilt that may arise from kissing Bela had failed to materialize, even if at the very back of his mind, Ethan had expected it.

It was a perfectly human thing to seek all the comfort Bela offered. To wish to feel something, anything, other than the pain of grief. To surrender all that pain to Bela, who had only affection and kindness to return to him.

There was nothing wrong at all with allowing someone he was close to – someone he deeply cared for – to hold his baby girl.

Ethan was happy that Bela got to meet Rose properly, and hold her in her arms. He was happy to share his family with Bela. After all, Ethan had been sharing the memory of Mia with Bela for weeks now. He was happy that, if anybody other than himself had to cradle Rose in that moment – it was Bela.

Whatever shred of hesitancy and distaste Ethan had were washed away completely. Gone, swept away by that gorgeous smile on Bela's face, and Rose's delighted babbling.

Ethan placed a hand on Bela's back, sliding it over to loosely wrap around her waist. He brought his lips to her ear, whispering, "Thank you." He kissed Bela's cheek, lips brushing her skin as he muttered again, "Thank you."

He rested his chin on Bela's shoulder. She soon tilted her head to lean against Ethan's. Just as quietly, she responded, "It is the least I could do."

They were quiet for a while, save to bask in the contentment, watching Rose work away on the teether and play with Bela's hair.

It was Bela who eventually broke the silence first, speaking softly and trailing off, "Before… before the Dimitrescu House…"

Before Miranda had turned her into a bug-woman.

"I was somewhat envious of those mothers," Bela shook her head to herself, "After I delivered their children, I would sometimes think of what it would be like to have my own."

With his arm still wrapped around Bela's midsection, Ethan stroked Bela's side with his thumb. The idea of Bela having children had never really crossed his mind before. He asked, "Did you ever get the chance?"

Bela kept her gaze fixed to Rose, and her chest heaved with a weighty sigh. "We planned to, one day, but…"

Craning his head, Ethan watched the slightest tremble set into Bela's lips. He tightened his hold around her waist – all he could do to ensure Bela knew she was not alone.

"Well," Bela settled on chewing her bottom lip, "We did not get the chance. Perhaps it was for the better."

Bela had someone. A husband or a partner or something – it was another thing Ethan hadn't really considered before, since Bela only ever spoke of her parents. He filed that away in his memory before switching tracks and telling Bela, "I'm sure you would've been a great mom."

A ghost of a laugh, and Bela shook her head. "Maybe. Maybe not." She paused only to shrug her shoulders. "In any case, the village was home, but it was a difficult place to grow up in."

Even without the lycans, rural Romania half a century ago did not sound like the easiest place to raise children. Of course, that was coming from Ethan's pampered middle class, city boy ass – so he wasn't really one to give an objective take on the matter.

The only thing Ethan could do was note the gloom that was settling on Bela. Haunted as she was by days long gone, that familiar sadness wasn't too far away whenever she reminisced.

Ethan offered a slight change in topic, in the hopes of lifting her spirits. "Did I ever tell you about the time Rose was born?"

It perked Bela up. Gently, she lifted her head up so she no longer rested it against Ethan's. She was able to look at him properly as she told him, "You have not."

"I passed out," Ethan deadpanned.

A soft laugh escaped Bela's lips, and she quirked a brow up in question. "You're serious?"

"Yup," Ethan popped out the p. "When Mia's water broke, she was calmer than anything. Like, almost eerily calm, yeah? She got her bag ready while my hands were too busy shaking to get anything done."

A large part of Ethan's anxiety had been over the BSAA's tests. While they kept reporting – and possibly lying – that Rose was normal and healthy in the womb, they didn't stop the tests either. They passed it off as simply monitoring the situation, and Ethan and Mia had little say in the matter. It only made Ethan more and more nervous that something was up. It would not be until much later, when he saw Rose and held her that he could feel the relief – knowing Rose wasn't some sort of moldy mess.

"Passed out on the sofa while I was grabbing Mia's phone, and I saw her water soaked up in the carpet." Ethan cringed to himself, continuing, "Woke up to Mia standing above me and my cheek pretty sore. She yelled at me to get my shit together and – well," he laughed in spite of himself, "I guess that did the trick."

Bela took a half step – just enough to properly look at Ethan with her incredulous features. "Some help you were. Unbelievable," She giggled, even as she shook her head in apparent disapproval, "Fainting when Mia needed you – you just enjoy being an irritant. Admit it."

Ethan dug his fingers into Bela's side to tickle her, and she flinched away with a quick, "Hey!"

Even as she evaded Ethan's attempts to silence her, Bela held Rose close. She was still securely snug in Bela's arms, and her teething of the banana grew faint, apparently on the cusp of falling back asleep.

Ethan raised his hands in a gesture of peace, but Bela did not step back and accept his arm around her waist. She stood a safe distance away, standing next to the crib, where Ethan couldn't tickle her into silence.

"Believe it or not, I was okay after that." Ethan ignored Bela's dubious face. "I got Mia to the hospital, and things went… surprisingly fine. And when I held Rose for the first time…" He blew out a breath as the memories struck him. The sterile scent of alcohol in the air, mixing with the metallic bite of blood. The chilly temperature of the room, warmed only by the soft cries of his newborn daughter. The rough, itchy scrubs he had to wear. The sweat on Mia's pink face, her matted brown hair sticking to her forehead. The way her features lit up in a smile when she passed Rose to Ethan.

"It was…" Never one for eloquence and masterful storytelling, Ethan was at a loss for a moment. It was impossible to accurately voice the overwhelming torrent of emotions. "I knew Rose was my whole world from then on." Ethan couldn't explain the extent or the profoundness of his feelings, but he could at least tell Bela of how he'd never been more certain of anything in his life. "I knew I'd do anything for her." He licked his lips and added, "Same as how I would've done anything for Mia."

With the teasing gone from Bela's features, she watched him for a moment, a small smile on her face. She parted her lips to respond, but stopped, eyes going to Rose. The baby opened her mouth in a wide yawn, squirming in Bela's arms to get cozy. She held the banana teether loose in her hand as she closed her eyes.

"Wow," Ethan muttered. "Look at that. All tuckered out."

"Yeah," Bela nodded, stroking Rose's cheek, "It appears Tatyana did a superb job putting her to bed before we arrived."

Ethan spared a glance to the mountain of toys stuffed into the shelves. Considering how much they had to play with, it shouldn't be a surprise that Rose's energy had been expended before their arrival.

Playtime with Tatyana was hard to imagine, considering how stern and gloomy the woman had been when Ethan first met her. But in hindsight, Tatyana had literally just dealt with Daniela dragging Maria into the dungeons and killing her. She'd been forced to stand by and let her friend be killed over next to nothing. It was no wonder Tatyana had been in sour spirits. Ethan had yet to meet and speak to the grand chambermaid on more neutral terms. He felt like he owed her a thanks, or at least a halfway decent conversation, since she was Rose's primary caretaker.

Ethan looked towards the clock on Lady Dimitrescu's bedside, now that his thoughts had turned to Tatyana. After a healthy amount of squinting to see the time, he noted, "We might be cutting it close."

Bela craned her head up from Rose to follow Ethan's eyes. Once the connection was made, she nodded, giving Ethan a sad smile. "We should make ourselves scarce before Tatyana returns."

Ethan closed the distance and leaned over to give Rose a kiss on her sleepy head. His lips lingered there for a moment as he whispered, "Daddy's gonna see you again soon."

Rose shifted in Bela's arms, giving a short giggle, eyes still shut. Ethan could stand there for hours, watching his daughter's peaceful face. They'd been apart for two weeks, after all. He had a lot of lost time to make up for. Bottles to feed her, stories to read to her, and all the damn hugs in the world to give her. "I promise," Ethan whispered, more to himself than anyone else.

Thanks to Bela, he actually had the chance to make up for that time. Ethan watched with no shortage of fondness as Bela gently laid Rose back down in her crib. Once Rose was snug on the cushioning, Bela straightened up, tucking some loose strands of hair behind her ear. Her fingers lingered around a few curls for a beat – the same curls Rose had played with. She let her hand fall back to her side as she stepped away from the crib. When their eyes met, Bela was still wearing that shy smile, and Ethan was tempted to wipe it away with his lips.

"I can't tell you how much this means to me. All of it – everything you've done for me," Ethan said, as he truly could not overstate it enough.

Bela shook her head, waving a hand in an attempt at dismissal. "Like I said, it is the least I can do for your family. You will see little Rosie again soon." She extended her hand forward, fingers beckoning him, "Come. We should go."

Ethan gave Rose one last look. He committed the image of her to memory – of how cozy and content she was in her unexpected nursery. It brought a warmth into his chest, steadying the occasionally anxious beating of his heart. Ethan released a breath, slow and steady, and whatever apprehensions he had slipped away along with his sigh. He took Bela's hand in his and nodded.

Squeezing his hand, Bela smiled and led the way forward, only for her to come to a hard stop a foot away from the door.

Bela's entire frame tensed, and she squeezed Ethan's hand tight in the process. The sudden shift in demeanor set Ethan's own alarm bells off, and his previously at-ease heart then began jumping in alert – pumping blood into his veins as his lizard brain prepared to send him into either fight or flight.

"What is it?" Ethan asked in a hushed but sharp whisper.

Bela remained stock-still, save for her head, which craned back in the slightest to look at him. "Did you hear that?"

All Ethan could hear was his frantic pulse all the way up to his skull. He strained to make out anything – footsteps, breathing – anything that may hint at Bela's cause for alarm.

Nothing. The only thing Ethan heard over his pulse was ringing in his ears from the dead silence.

"Do you hear Tatyana or something?" Ethan asked.

Bela stood motionless for several long seconds before she shook her head. The concentration on her face was swiftly erased, and she wore a displeased curl at her lip as she answered, "Worse."

Ethan didn't have the chance to ask what was up. Bela abruptly released his hand and took a powerful stride towards the door. With little caution or ceremony, she grabbed the handle and yanked the door open.

"Fuck." The curse tumbled out of Ethan's mouth with a mind of its own.

His heart sank in his chest, and his stomach churned in discomfort at the sight that awaited them – dark hair, sharp, angular features, and a wicked smile to match her wicked personality. Cassandra Dimitrescu stood at the doorway and sported a toothy grin.

"Well, well," Cassandra gave a slight laugh, placing her hands on her hips, "What have we here?" Keen eyes went to Bela as her tone took a haughty turn, "If it isn't my dear, lovely sister…" There was a sinister glint to Cassandra's eyes when they narrowed at Ethan, "And her pet."

Bela took another step forward, shoulders tensed, and hands balled into fists at her sides. She spoke in a low growl, "What are you doing here?"

"Shhhh," Cassandra raised a finger, pressing it to her dark lips; she drew out the shush, the sound diminishing with every passing second until it disappeared into the void. A mocking smile, and Cassandra cooed, "You might wake the baby."

While Ethan couldn't see Bela's expression from where he stood, he could perfectly picture her fierce scowl.

"Besides, I ought to be asking you the same thing. Because…" Cassandra gave Bela the approximation of a charming smile. "You can correct me if I'm mistaken, but," She tilted her head to the side, ensuring her predatory gaze met Ethan's eyes. "You…" Venom filled her voice, and her smile turned into a sneer, "are not supposed to be here, man-thing."

A/N: Thanks so much for reading! As always, do be sure to hit those fave and follow buttons, and write me a review to let me know how you liked this chapter. It is always an absolute joy to hear from you all!

So, that fabled Bethan kiss was something I've been itching to write for a while, and it probably shows. Also, Lady D's room turned into a babyproofed bunker - how many of you had that on your bingo sheets? I think I remember a couple of you calling it and predicting Rosie having her own nursery.

I also wanted to parse Ethan's feelings a little, even though this probably won't be the last time we peek into his emotions. That wound up being something I edited quite a bit in my second draft, because I wanted to touch on how keenly aware Ethan is of how, from the outside, it can seem messed up, and too soon - but Ethan's tired of hurting, especially when it's easier to surrender to Bela's caring arms, and all that mushy stuff. Hope you liked that bit of self reflection.

Aaaaand, here's Cassandra! I think a couple of you were predicting this as well, if not simply because it's been a while since she showed up. We're inching into a new arc now, and "excited" does not begin to describe how eager I am to move into this section of the story! I hope you enjoy what is to come as much as I enjoyed writing it!

I also put together a little linktree link here for y'all. I figured I'd consolidate my socials and where you can reach me, support me, and get a peek at some behind the scenes of my writing. Link here: linktr . ee /sylvesterm

If you have any questions about my socials and platforms, I do urge you to contact me on those, or send me a PM here on FFnet, so I can answer any questions you have more personally and properly :) As always, thank you so, so, so much for all your support for this story! It's always incredibly heartwarming to see the love this story gets, and believe me when I say it gets me off my ass and onto my computer chair where I can start writing. I look forward to hearing from you all and connecting with you some more. You can expect the next chapter probably around the 15th of May (but probably a little earlier), because I have some vacation time and some big stuff lined up, so I might be away for a bit. Until then, I hope you all take care, and I eagerly await to hear from you again. Cheers!