Hey, guys!

I was gone for a while mostly because I now have adult responsibilities I can't avoid, like my job. Which is a lot different than going to school because you can't just skip work to write. And I finally got to go on vacation to Los Angeles, which was an amazing experience were I finally got to practice my very accented English and got to look at cute guys, always searching and never finding a Dimka of my own. But enough rambling, as a New Year's resolution I set myself the goal that I am to complete this story and I just hope you are still interested in reading the rest.

With that said, here's the next one.

Saludos!

Chapter 10.- Normal.

Ivan's POV

"If you keep turning around every time the bell chimes you'll give yourself whiplash, Ivan."

I stopped looking at the door and glared at Rose, "You didn't have to come with me, you know? I could've sat here all by myself."

She turned and looked around the busy coffee shop and smiled. "Yeah, if that'd been the case I think they would've kicked you out already. You look jittery enough from all that caffeine."

Instead of replying back, I sighed. I was thankful that she had decided to come with me, but it honestly made feel even more restless to find my green eyed girl. "You know what, I think we should go. I don't think she's going to show up today."

"I was only joking, we can wait some more, I don't mind. Besides we still have some time before we have to leave."

I shook my head. "Dimitri will kill me if I take any more of your time, it was a miracle he even let you out of his sight today."

"You're seeing things, he doesn't even like me that me that much," she blushed.

"And I'm the delusional one." I said to the heavens. Looking at my watch, I decided that it was fine. Meeting her was something that had happened by chance and I was going to become crazy trying to force something that only happened by fate.

Taking a cup of coffee for Dimitri, we walked up the counter to pay for our drinks. The young barista, greeted us with a smile before she looked at me specifically.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

She smiled, embarrassed at having been caught staring. "It's just that you looked familiar from afar, but now that I see you up close the resemblance is amazing."

Beside me Rose was giving me a look as if to ask 'Her too?'

I shook my head. I knew I had a bad reputation before, but even I had my limits. "Have we met before?"

The barista shook her head. "There was this woman the other day that sat down in the same spot you were for a long time. We noticed she kept staring at the door and when I least expected it she disappeared and left this behind on the table."

She produced a small piece of paper from under the counter and I heard Rose's gasp as she saw what was on it.

It was me.

A very detailed drawing of me smiling as I sipped my coffee.

But that wasn't the only thing I noticed. Like a blessing on the edge of the paper, was a signature. Her signature.

Natalie Doru.

Fucking hell. I could've cried.

"You have no idea how much this means to me, thank you." I said, placing a hefty tip in her jar.

Rose stared at me as we left the coffee shop. "I guess it was your lucky day, after all. Should we go buy a lotto ticket before we head back?"

"No, that seems like cheating," I said feeling more like myself and with a light spring to my step because I had finally found a way to see her again. "Besides I think I will need all of my luck when I find her."

Rose's POV

I tried to smile, as I felt happy that Ivan had found the name of the mysterious woman that had taken up his thoughts during the last two weeks.

But under my excitement, I was a worried anxious mess.

The invitation to my father's 50th birthday had arrived in the mail a couple of days ago and Dimitri seemed as reluctant in not wanting to go as I felt. But in the end my father's wishes always came true, so I tried to think of the positive, I was excited for Dimitri to meet Lissa.

She'd like him and I was pretty much sure he'd like her.

"What are you thinking about, that has you smiling from ear to ear?" Dimitri asked as he entered my office.

"I can't."

"Are you keeping secrets from me?"

My dead boyfriend is alive...

"No," I lied. "The only secret and not a very good one is that, umm, I can't get you off my mind."

"Funny thing, I feel the same way." He smiled that special smile and pulled me out of my chair and embraced me. "Rose, no matter what happens in Montana, we're a team. You and me, you hear me?"

Resting my head on his heart, I nodded. "Best team ever."

"Exactly, so don't you worry about anything, we'll only be gone one weekend and before you know it we'll be back home."

Home.

Portland was home. Celia, Albert and Ivan were part of that.

But most importantly, Dimitri was my home.

"Well if you have that all mapped out I don't see why I should be so worried."

"There you go, now we should get going if we're going to make it on time for dinner."

"Do you think we could make it we drive really fast?" I asked, feeling queasy thinking about the plane ride.

"I would drive you anywhere you wanted but it's 14 hours away, baby." He said putting my hair behind my ear.

"It was a trick question, I already knew the answer."

"Then why'd you ask?"

"I wanted to know what you'd say this time around."

He kissed me. "I'll meet you in twenty minutes down by the car. I love you, Roza."

"Me too."

*.*.*

"You look green," Dimitri said as he held out his hand to help me up the plane's stairs.

"I feel green, I don't think I can do this, Dimitri."

"I brought you something for that, they're pills to help you with the anxiety and the nausea. It will make it easier for you." He said taking a pill bottle out of his suit pocket.

Taking it from him, I clutched it in my fingers and hoped to god they would work. Or else this would be just the beginning of hell.

As I sat down and took two little pills, Dimitri's cell phone rang.

"It's Ivan," he said as he answered. "We've barely left, stop being clingy and find your woman."

Dimitri sobered up after a few seconds of hearing Ivan speak. "Are you sure everyone is out of the building? That no one got hurt? Okay, good. I'll be there as fast as I can. See in you a bit."

"What happened, is everything okay?"

Dimitri ran his hands through his hair. "The floor with the main servers is on fire and the building is being evacuated."

"Shit." The sickness I had felt, tripled. "Is everyone okay?"

"Exactly, Ivan said everyone is safe and counted for. The firefighters are inside trying to put it out." He sighed. "Rose, that whole floor is one of the safest places within the building, cameras, guards, you name it. Which only makes me more curious to know how it started. I'm sorry to say this, but I can't go to Montana."

"Oh, it's okay. We don't really have to go, I'm sure they'll understand why we couldn't make it." I felt really shitty for feeling relieved, but at that point I had to count my blessings were I could.

"I said I'm not going, but that doesn't mean you're not."

"What?!" I shook my head. "No, Dimitri! I can't go back there without you. I don't want to do it, I need you by my side."

He sighed. "I hate to do this to you, but if I've learned something is to go with my gut. It wasn't an accident, the fire. And to find out who started it, I need to know you're somewhere safe so I can make them pay."

"I'm not safe if I'm not with you. Please?" I begged feeling tears sting my eyes.

"I would do anything for you, I would lay down my life for you if I could. But could you please do this for my sake of mind. Please, Roza?"

As I looked into his eyes, I saw it. Fear. For my safety.

I knew it because I had seen on my face every time I looked in the mirror, and as much I disliked seeing it in everyday in my eyes, I hated seeing it in his eyes. I didn't want him to worry for me while he found the culprit, which if I knew him, his gut was practically spelling it out for him. Viktor Dashkov.

I sighed. "Fine, I'll do it for you."

"Good girl," he said pulling me toward him. "Thank you, Roza. I'll have Celia come with you so you won't be alone, besides I'd like for her to be safe too."

"Shit, you're right. If the building was attacked then they're also in danger, what about your family?"

"They're protected by a full security team, but I'll have them reinforce it just to be on the safe side."

"Then what about you and Ivan, will you be safe?"

"Baby, we know how to take care of ourselves. Albert was a Marine and he's taught us very well. He was the one that hand selected the security for my family and for us, I trust him with our lives."

"Well then, I just hope that this was all a case of an electric malfunction instead of someone causing this so we can come home."

"Me too, baby, me too. But for the mean time, I need you to keep yourself safe."

"As much as I can, seeing as you are sending me to visit my father who is part of the mob." i muttered.

Despite himself, he laughed. "Jesus, you and that mouth, I had forgotten all about. I fucking love it."

"Stop it, go before I don't let you leave me in this flying piece of metal. Stay safe, Dimitri, I want you in one piece when I see you again."

"Is it because they'll think you did it?"

I shook my head. "No, it's because I really, really like all of you in one piece."

Before leaving, he kissed me one last time, and I wished that I could stay with him and find out who would dare to hurt us. But on the other hand, I also had to face my own personal boogey man and find out once and for all, the truth behind the death or not death in this case of Adrian.

Jesus, just when life was starting to seem normal…

*.*.*