After a two week stay in the hospital I'm released. I find myself hesitant as the Dragomir's driver opens the car door and asks me where to go. It turns out Rhea and Eric had been generous with more than their love. I was left a third of their fortune and company, I choke a little as I sob remembering the lawyer changing it to half as he sadly remembered Andre wasn't with us anymore. I didn't want this. I would give up the driver, the money and the apartment gifted to me to get them all back. What's the point of money, of a home without the love that I had been given.

The detectives had been present when the lawyer had read Rhea and Eric's will. I had been shocked, they had been not. I had feared they would yell at me there and then about my motives, but they stayed still and listened quietly. I would have never thought I would be on the will, let alone getting the same as Andre and Lissa. I couldn't believe they would do such a thing. I knew they cared, and even had heard them call me their daughter but I never in a million years thought they fully meant it.

With the money and downtown apartment in my name, I knew I grew as a suspect. Detective Belikov never said this, no, if anything he seemed to grow nicer. It was Detective Ozera I was worried about. A women slightly older than Dimitri with pitch black hair and piercing ice blue eyes, who had doubted everything I said from the beginning. No, Dimitri didn't worry me, it was her. Her snide comment about rags to riches hadn't missed my open ears. I had been listening and taking note of everything.

"To the apartment." Stan my driver nodded sadly, his hand coming to squeeze mine.

His eyes met with mine and I knew he hurt too. He had been the Dragomir's driver for over 25 years now. He watched them raise their kids. He brought them everywhere. Rhea sent cookies home with him during the holidays, and she invited him to dinner when his wife had passed. Like everyone else I knew Stan had been touched by the pureness that had been this family. Looking at him I saw his hurt, his sadness. And I saw that perhaps I wasn't alone.

"I'm here." It's all he said before walking around and driving to our destination.

Two weeks had passed and still nothing had been found. There was no apparent motive, no link to anyone. No nothing as to why a week ago three very innocent and kind people were laid to rest. In that time all I managed to do was have my fear magnified by tenfold. I made sure someone was always near Lissa when I could not be with her. She still lay in a coma, but now thankfully they held out more hope. I found myself praying more and more lately, wondering if my lack in faith had come to bite me in the ass.

Lissa had too been shot in the head. But unlike the rest of her family she survived. And in the last two days her brain had been showing signs of activity. I had cried for an hour when they told me it seemed as if she was healing. They were quick to let me know she would probably never be the same but I didn't care. She was alive, and I knew Lissa she would fight, and I would fight for her. I would do anything to ensure she woke up and she had the best care in the world.

"I took the liberty of packing some of your clothes from the house. They had already cleared it." I looked up to Stan and smiled.

"Thank you. Are they still working there?" He nodded slowly and continued.

"Yes, they told me they want to comb over everything a few more times" I sunk into the seat rubbing my now lightly gauzed chest.

"I don't know if I'll ever be able to go back there." Tears filled my eyes and I shut them quickly. I had been crying so much.

"It's ok. You don't have to if you don't want to." I nodded without opening my eyes too scared of opening them to another sob fest.

Olena had held me more times than I could count. She never asked questions, and never judged. She simply comforted me when needed. She gave me words of encouragement, she gave me smiles and hugs. And I would forever be thankful and in debt to her. She made the hardest time of my life just a little bit more bare able.

Hours later after getting settled alone in the apartment I heard a knock on the door. My heart began to pump quickly and I froze in place. Panic surged through me as thoughts of those men coming to find me and finish the job passed through my mind. This apartment was known to be the Dragomir's. Would they get by the security?

"Detective Belikov, Miss Hathaway." Dimitri's accented voice instantly calmed me as I darted for the door.

I opened the door slightly out of breath. I had grown accustomed to the feeling of dread and panic, but it did nothing to ease the slight elevation of my heart rate, the fast hyperventilating of my breathing. In two weeks I had learned fully what a panic attack was. I had four them and almost countless more.

"Dimitri." My voice was soft and I actually smiled as I saw him. It hadn't passed my notice how handsome of a man he was.

"Rose. I came to check to see how you were settling in." I opened the door a bit wider and waved him in. His eyes flashing everywhere finally landing on a picture on the wall. A picture of all of us on my first vacation.

"That was my first vacation ever. I think you can tell by how exhilarated my expression is." I looked at the picture with him seeing how ridiculous I looked with my wide smile, making my eyes almost fully closed. I looked like a hot mess next to the family's perfection.

"You look happy." Dimitri turned towards me and I smiled sadly.

"I was always happy with them. They made me happy, without even trying most of the time." I let out a long shaky breath.

"We made an arrest last night." I looked up to him my eyes wide.

"Was it one of them?" I held my breath, scared of what the answer would be.

"Sadly not one of the men. It was a woman named Avery. Does that sound familiar?" I furrowed my brow slightly, the name came to me with a picture of grey cold eyes.

"She dated Andre for a bit." Dimitri nodded his head. "She wasn't a nice person, but why was she arrested?"

"She sent a rather threatening email to Andre. About a month ago. Did he ever say anything to you?" I shook my head no. Andre hadn't mentioned Avery in nearly 3 years and I told Dimitri so.

"He may not have said anything but she had been emailing him over the years. A threat here and there, but nothing like the last." He handed me a paper and I read it carefully.

Andre,

I've warned you countless times and you still don't listen. I told you to contact me or you would regret it. I gave you everything and for what? For you to end us. I still see you with that whore all the time. Rose, right that's her name? I've given you enough time to mend your wrongs and now you're going to pay. You and anyone who stands in my way.

Much love,

Avery

"Although very bad, it's quite vague so we don't have much on her except harassment, and circumstantial evidence. She can't be held accountable for the deaths, or yours and Lissa's attempted murders. We don't actually have anything linking her to what happened. So I wanted to see if you knew anything." I walked slowly to the living room, my mind trying to rack anything I could remember about Avery, but Andre had kept their relationship pretty hush hush. I had only seen her a handful of times, and she had not liked me one bit.

"He didn't really mention her a lot. They dated for a year but he only brought her by the house a handful of times. She was horrible, to everyone. Rhea banned her from coming over after the last time she came, when she accused me of trying to steal Andre from her." I remembered being so confused at the accusation.

"Did she have reason to believe you were with him?" I looked at Dimitri appalled.

"No! Andre and I would lightly flirt but him and I really didn't have any connection. If anything it was more of a brotherly love I held for him. He never once tried to get with me. He was friendly, but that was just how he was. He winked at most women, and loved to mess with me. But no. We never did anything nor would we ever have." I sunk into the couch rubbing my chest again.

"Are you in pain?" I let out a ragged breath.

"No just exhausted. And not the type I can sleep alway." He nodded and sat next to me.

"I'm sorry to have disturbed you."

"You didn't. I barely just got here. I just don't understand any of this anymore." He came closer and grabbed my hand in his.

"Do you remember anything else about Avery?" I shook my head no.

"If anyone knows more about her it would be Lissa. They supposedly went to high school together. Lissa disliked her a lot, and she never disliked anyone without reason. She told me she was manipulative, always had her eyes out for Andre's money. But never much more." He squeezed my hand and pulled away.

"Well that's something. We don't have her for much, but the emails can be held against her for now. Is there anyone you knew by the name Robert?" I sat up a little remember one small memory.

"There was Robert once at my first charity event with the Dragomir's. Everyone there ignored me and gave me a cold shoulder but he offered me a dance. Only person other than the Dragomir's to acknowledge me and not seem put out." I remembered how he had been super awkward but really nice.

"Did he look like this?" He pulled out a picture and I took it into my hands.

"Yea he looks a little older here, but that's him. Does he have something to do with this?" I looked up in worry.

"We don't know just trying to find links. I didn't mean to startle you." I fell back into the couch cushions and closed my eyes.

"I think everything startles me. The psychologist I saw said it would take time, something about trauma and ptsd." I chuckled remembering how not well I had taken her words.

"You've been through a lot. I'm going to go. How about I come over tomorrow with some take out, and you can tell me a bit about you, your past?" I looked at him and saw what he was doing.

"Trying to make sure I'm not the one to blame." His lips tightened but he still answered me.

"Everyone is a suspect. I just want to help." I stood up and sighed.

"I know, I just feel like perhaps your the only one who wants to help. Your partner there isn't so nice." She had come by yesterday while I was with Lissa and had been less than civil.

"I apologize about Tasha. She has a way about her. She's just trying to do her job."

"What happened to innocent until proven guilty. I don't appreciate her thinking me guilty without any evidence." I was getting worked up and the pain in my chest was growing.

"I'm sorry Rose. You need to calm down though you're getting pale." He stood up and squeezed my shoulder. The gesture causing tears to prick my eyes. Eric always squeezed my shoulder when I needed it.

"You can come tomorrow. I'll answer anything, because I've got nothing to hide." He nodded and took his hand away.

"I'll be over tomorrow at 6. And Rose you really should get some sleep." He left shutting the door behind him and I walked to a nearby mirror.

I looked terrible. Dark circles ringed my eyes. My naturally tan skin now a pale color that did not match my eyes or hair. I looked sweaty, tired and tortured. I thought I had looked bad before when I was my mother, but this was on a whole other level. I looked away making my way slowly to the shower. After two weeks of sponge baths I needed to wash my hair, and scrub these painful memories away. Not that they would go away.

The warm water did wonders for me. I kept my chest dry by wrapping a plastic wrap they gave to me. It wasn't the greatest but it would do. After washing my hair and conditioning it I felt slightly better. But nothing felt better than laying in bed. I melted into the bed and sheets and for the first time in weeks fell asleep.

I was happy when I woke up in the morning not having had any nightmares. Every night at the hospital had been riddled with nightmares of that horrible day. I lay there staring at the ceiling a question finally coming to my mind. How had they known to come to the Dragomir's, after the shootings? Stan had been gone for the day since we had no plans to leave. And Maria the cleaning lady hadn't been due for two more days. I stored the question for later, hoping perhaps Dimitri would have an answer for me.

I spent the day quietly sitting and exploring the apartment. I had only been here a few times. The place was big, but only held a couple bedrooms so we couldn't all stay here. But Lissa and I had come here a number of times to get away and have a few girls nights. We had snuck my first taste of alcohol here. She had stolen a bottle of vodka from her parents for my 19th birthday. We had danced, sang, and eaten a ton of junk food. It had literally been the only birthday I had celebrated. And when she found that out she had made every other birthday so very special.

I remembered how for my 21st birthday Eric had served us all shots and downed them like a pro. We had laughed and gotten drunk while Rhea took pictures, she also filled our bellies with good food and a homemade cake. I had woken up with a headache from hell, but I was so very happy. I had never thought I could be so happy.

The Dragomir's also took seriously that I asked for little to no presents. I had no need for them. Not when they provided me with such an amazing place to live and good food to eat. My job at the doctors office provided me with more than enough for me to buy everything I needed. But still once a year Rhea brought me to buy clothes. She always said she preferred me to save my money. That some day I would need it to move out and leave the nest. Now I had no need for money. The amount in my accounts was even more than I could say.

I curled up on the recliner crying for hours. Clutching the first picture of all of us close to my bruised and broken heart. I couldn't believe they were gone. I had gone to the funeral and barely remembered it. There were a lot of people but sadly no family. Rhea, Eric and Andre were the very last of the Dragomir's. There had been a lot trauma and pain in their past. Mostly natural, some cancer, some accidents. But they had been close because they were all they had. And now the last Dragomir lay in a hospital bed fighting for her life. I swore it was now my job to protect her. To make sure she made it out ok.

At 6 pm sharp there was a knock on the door. I put the picture down and looked in the mirror to make sure there were no tears still falling. It was pointless, the redness is my eyes and nose did nothing to hide what I had been doing. I wasn't ashamed but I also didn't want even more questions. I opened the door and smiled as best I could.

"You ok?" I looked into Dimitri's eyes and nodded.

"Yea it's just been a long day. A lot of time to think and remember." He walked past me still looking in my direction.

"I can imagine it's not easy. I've only ever lost a friend and that was painful enough." He reached out for my hand giving it a squeeze. "Perhaps you can invite someone over? A friend?"

"I honestly don't even know who I would call? I'm not going to lie I don't feel all that trusting of anyone" he nodded his head slightly in understanding. He raised his hand holding a bag of Chinese take out.

"I hope this is ok. I wasn't sure what you liked so I got a lot."

"That's perfect. I'm actually starving." It was then that I noticed that I hadn't eaten all day.

Thirty minutes later I was filled and spilling my thoughts and answers to Dimitri. It had been a lot easier than I had imagined. But like I had told him I really had nothing to hide.

"My mother Janine Hathaway, wasn't the best mother. I mean she had a roof over our heads and fed us. But she was distant, cold even." I put my fork down sitting back in the seat.

"Was she abusive?" I furrowed my brow.

"I mean she never hit me. But some of the things she said to me hurt more than if she would have smacked me." I rolled my neck and wrapped my arms around myself.

"My father was abusive. He actually hit. A lot and often. Abuse is abuse, verbal or physical. It does something to you." I nodded understanding.

"I took it well though. I waited for my 18th birthday and left. No goodbye no worries about hurting her. It was freeing but also scary. I mean I had wanted to stay, but I knew nothing would change. Plus I knew she didn't want me." I remember the day I left, she had watched me pack, days after my graduation. She had sighed, told me to not make a mess and headed out to god knows where.

"How did you meet Vasalissa?"I smiled remembering our odd meeting.

"Well I was living on the streets and hungry. You can't hold it against me, I stole a hot dog from a vender and ran into her. She paid for the hot dog and more and listened to me. She immediately offered for me to come with her. I refused but everyday there after she showed up, it took a few weeks but she got me to go with her. Rhea, Eric and Andre welcomed me with open arms, it was crazy to me." I remember being so confused, so scared. But they had all assured me it was ok, that I was wanted there.

"Did they give you stuff all the time." I shook my head no quickly.

"No. I made it known I wanted to earn my keep. I would clean the house at first, try to cook. But Eric one day had a talk with me about going to college so I could get a real job. I resisted at first cause I could not pay for it. We settled with me getting an medical assistant certification. It was cheaper and still led me to a great job." The nights spent doing home work came to mind.

Liss and Andre went to some big wig college, though they lived at home. We would all sit together and study. Andre was well on his way to becoming a great lawyer, and Lissa was one of the best RN's at the clinic. They had worked hard and long for their careers, another astounding thing about them. Neither expecting anything from their parents, instead wanting to make a name for themselves.

"That's right the clinic? Lissa worked there too?"

"Yes. Best nurse you'll ever meet. She was born to be a nurse." I crinkled my nose remember her long hours. "She was always a hard worker. Even when she was in college to be a nurse she had a job. I found it odd seeing as her parents gave her money. But she just was that way."

"Did anyone at work ever give you a hard time?" I thought about it but no one really came to mind.

"I mean you always have disgruntled patients. Most people don't come to the doctors unless they are sick or something is wrong. Most weren't mad at us per say, maybe more mad at their insurance not covering things. I was always a middle man with that. Lissa never had to deal with that aspect though."

"Does the last name Dashkov ring a bell?" I sat up straighter.

"Yea I mean there's a Victor and his daughter Natalie. They work for Dashkov print." The guy always creeped me out but he had always been nice, especially for being a competing company to the Dragomir's.

"Eric meet with him a lot?" I distinctly remembered a few arguments in the study.

"I wouldn't say a lot but often enough to remember them together." I leaned forward. "Is he being looked into?"

"You don't have to worry Rose. I have to dig. And even if he is you're safe. You have security here, and a cop on hand." I huffed standing up.

"Why are you so vague. I have no idea what to think! Someone killed them! They tried and almost succeeded in killing me! And Lissa. Oh my god! What if nothing stops them from getting to her?!"

I knew I was panicked. My hands tangled in my hair and I started to pace in front of Dimitri. This time he made no attempt to grab my hand. He was instead trying to talk to me, but I was too far gone. Was it Victor? Avery? Or even Robert? Who the hell was I suppose to be afraid of? Who the hell was I suppose to stay away from?

"You know we are doing everything we can to make connections and keep you safe Rose." I looked at him and laughed out loud.

"You do not even know who to protect me or Lissa from. You were telling me to have someone over. Who would I call that would be safe? That I can trust. You don't know who did this." Dimitri ran his hand through his hair, causing it to come undone from his tie. The hair around his face made him look younger.

"I know I am sorry. But Rose we, I am doing everything I can to solve this, to help you." I signed in defeat and sat back donw.

"Can I ask you something?" Dimitri came and kneeled before me.

"Of course."

"How did you guys know to come to the house. We were all either dead or waiting to die." Dimitri leaned back on his heals slightly swaying.

"We received a call from you." I let out a breath of air, now completely confused.

"From my phone you mean." Dimitri's jaw clenched and he looked down, when he looked back up at me and I knew I was not going to like what he had to say.

"The call came from your phone Rose, but we have your voice, you saying your name and saying the Dragomir's were dead."

Well shit.