CHAPTER TWO

ROSE

Flipping off the light, I trekked silently back to my room. I have been waking two times every night to go to the bathroom and I am already over it.

Adrian has me drinking more water in a day than I have over the last year. Accompanying me to every meal to make sure I am eating properly. He even took a Guardian and went into the city to get me prenatal vitamins and creature comforts. I wanted to kiss him and bash his head in all at the same time. He was becoming a helicopter parent, minus the whole having a kid part.

Slipping my St. Vlad's hoodie over my head and pulling on my shoes, I headed over to the Moroi dorms to meet with Lissa and the Guardians. She had a slew of stores to go to while in Missoula today. Forever 21 and Victoria Secret being the first two stops. I was ready for this day to begin so it would end.

Lissa was already in the SUV, Alto making the final checks, and I climbed into the very back. Maybe I can catch an extra hour of sleep before being drug around the mall like a ragdoll. Resting my head on the window, I shut myself off from the outside world. Only stirring once to rest my head on Adrian's shoulder. I hadn't heard him get into the car, but the smell of cloves couldn't be mistaken for anyone else.

"Rose! Look at this one, it's perfect," Liss tugged me toward store number seven, dress number four that she rated perfect.

I had to admit, this one was amazing. Deep red in color, with a V neckline that would show a very considerable amount of cleavage and would stop just above my knee. The fabric looked clingy, but not unflattering. It definitely would highlight my curves. All your curves, the voice spoke. I shook my head to shut it up and followed Lissa. Finding my size, she pulled it from the rack and shoved me toward the dressing room.

I stepped back out to have her zip up the back before taking in the finished product. I was right, it's amazing. The way it clung to my breast and hips gave me a perfect hourglass shape. But no matter how beautiful I felt wrapped in the chiffon, I knew I couldn't have it. And it had nothing to do with the price tag.

When graduation came in a month there would be another curve to my body. One that would not fit inside this dress. Told you. I could feel my eyes growing wet, quickly I blinked back the tears before they could fall.

"Damn, Little Dhampir you look…" Adrian whistled as he took me in.

"Doesn't she look amazing!" Lissa clapped, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Breathtaking," he mumbled, "Hey Lissa, Celeste was looking for you, something about needing help finding the right shoes…"

"On it, you got her," Lissa called over her shoulder.

"Always," he turned back to me, "What's wrong?"

"I can't…" I sniffled.

"Can't what, Rose?" Shaking my head, I stepped back into the dressing room. Adrian following right behind me, I didn't even try to stop him. "Rose, talk to me, please."

"I can't wear a dress like this…." I coughed out. "In a month I'll be starting to show, anything clingy will highlight that."

"It's unlikely, most first-time mom's don't start showing until around twelve to sixteen weeks, and you have really firm abs, it will hide it a bit longer."

I stared up at him, "How do you know that?"

"Google," he shrugged. "I have been researching. Granted human and Dhampir pregnancies do have their differences, but for the most part, it's the same. Putting in your date of conception online, you should be about eight weeks now. You still have time before anyone will notice."

"You're ….amazing, Adrian," I stood to wrap my arms around his waist, his falling around my shoulders.

"I try," he chuckled. Pulling the zipper down, he looked down at me, "Now get changed, I'm starving," he turned and left.

There can be many things said about him. He smokes too much, drinks to often, or doesn't know how to commit to one woman for more than a night. But one thing most people don't know, or rather can't see, is that he is an amazing person. Every day I can see the changes in him. Each passing moment I spend with him, I see the man that lies behind the brooding mask, the heart of gold he wears on his sleeve.

We arrived back at the Academy just before sunset. It was Saturday, meaning no classes, so I went straight to my room for much-needed sleep. Resting back on my bed, I dialed up his number and waited for it to connect.

"Roza," his thick accent flooded my ears.

"Hey, Comrade," I smiled, though he couldn't see.

"How was shopping?"

I filled him in on the day's events. Everything from our stop in VS where I picked up two sets of matching red and black lingerie. To finding the perfect dress, that I refused to send him a picture of. All the way to Adrian attempting to pick up a human girl in the food court. Failing miserably I might add, leaving a huge dent in his ego.

"Sounds like you had a great day," his voice sounded pained. What's going on there?

"Everything alright, Dimitri?"

"Yeah," he sighed, "I just wish I was there. I would have been the one taking you two shopping."

"Be glad you got out of it," I laughed, "I thought Stanny was going to lose his mind when Lissa told him that was only half of the bags."

"True, but at least it was time away from the Academy with you."

"Liss still doesn't know," I whispered.

"I thought you were going to tell her," he sounded surprised.

"There's just been a lot going on with her and Christian lately, I didn't want to add onto it."

That was a lie, thankfully he can't see my face to know it. He wanted me to tell Lissa before he came back, making the transition easier when he requested her to release him as her Guardian. We had talked a few weeks back about us guarding together. There was still no guarantee that we would choose her if it came down to one of us. I hated to admit that I felt torn between them, but would rather admit it than someone gets hurt. The obvious choice was me staying with Liss, and him requesting Christian. That way we could be together, but not have to choose between our charge or each other.

But it wasn't Lissa and Chris keeping me from telling her, it was me. I wasn't ready to let her in, because she wouldn't believe the other half of the story. Not that I would blame her, I still don't believe it and it's happening to me. But I don't know exactly how to go about letting her in on all of my secrets just yet.

We talked for another half hour before I declared myself unable to stay awake longer. With good wishes to his family, a lot of I love you and miss you's, we disconnected. I was out within seconds dreaming of my Comrade.

A soft knock on my door pulled me from the beaches in Mexico. Damn, that was a good dream too. Driving my fist into my eyes, I scrubbed the tiredness away before opening the door. Now, there are many people I could see coming to bug me in the middle of the night, day, whatever. But Stan Alto is not one of them.

"We need to talk, Hathaway," his voice was soft, but his eyes smoldered. Something was pissing him off, and I know I didn't do anything this time.

"What's Up, Stanny," I smirked, gripping the door frame with one hand, the handle in the other.

His head moved left to right, checking the hall before pushing me back into my room. Before I could yell what the hell, he turned his gaze to mine. The smoldering look gone, replaced by a full blaze.

"Who's is it," he growled.

"Excuse me?" I barked back.

"I heard you and Ivashkov, is it his?"

"What are you talking about," I tried to play dumb, but I could tell wasn't accepting that.

"Don't play games, Hathaway. If you won't tell me who, at least tell me it wasn't…"

"NO," I yelled albeit too loudly, bringing my voice back down, "you wouldn't believe me if I told you the truth anyway," I sighed. "Don't act as if you care now, Stan."

"That's where you're wrong, Rose. I do care, if I didn't I wouldn't be here right now," he let out a long breath, a hand running over his bald head to the back of his neck. "Does anyone other than Ivashkov know?" I shook my head. "Okay, well, you need to see a doctor. There are things you need to do to prepare for this."

Gobsmacked, I looked back at him, "Why do you care?"

"I have six sisters, Rose. All of which have dealt with what you are about too. I have known you since you were four, and I expected great things from you."

"You hate me!" I snapped.

"No, I worked you harder because I knew you could be one of the best," he growled. "And you still can be, but it will be a bit harder now."

We stood in silence. I wasn't sure how much time had passed when he released another loud sigh, "I want to help you, Rose. You're going to need it, and Ivashkov will only get you so far." He turned to leave.

A million things ran through my head, but one word pushed to the forefront of my mind. I have never liked Stan, ever. Since coming to the Academy he has always given me hell. But right now, he was my ally. He was offering to help me with things I hadn't yet considered, and he was asking for nothing in return. His hand reached the handle, "Dimitri," I whispered.

Stan's back went rigid, hand freezing in place on the half turned knob, "What?"

"Dimitri. It's his. I don't know how, but he is the only person I have ever been with. And only once."

"A Dhampir/Dhampir child, not possible," his words low, speaking more to himself than me. "And you're sure?" I pulled the pregnancy test from my bedside table, showing him the tiny window. "Change of plans, you need a human doctor, not one here. I'll make some calls."

"Why?"

"Because if anyone finds out that you somehow managed to defy the laws of our world," he shook his head, "you will give birth to a science experiment."