"I still can't believe it."

Lissa hits the 'end call' button her phone and sits in shock staring at nothing in particular. Dr. Belikov had just called to confirm the pregnancy. I look at Stan who's looking sympathetically at Lissa. We give her a few moments to let the reality of the news set in before I start waving my hand in front of her unblinking face to get her attention.

"Liss?"

She doesn't say anything.

"Lissa?"

She still doesn't say anything but she does blink finally.

"You took the test, Liss." I figured the initial shock should be gone by now.

"I know but I...can't believe it," she murmurs.

"Dr. Belikov said all the signs indicated that you were pregnant."

"I know but...it's real. Like...really real."

She looks just about ready to cry, her eyes glistening with tears but none fall. She sniffles and Alto hands her a tissue that she just balls up in her hand. Sitting in the chair beside me, now that we all know she's pregnant, she looks so small. Smaller than I've ever seen her.

Liss has always been tall, taller than me by less than three inches. Even with the insecurities and worries about her future Lissa always carried herself as if she were royalty, shoulders strong, chin held up and head held high. She was poised and always had a sort of elegance about her even when it was just the two of us and we were hanging out and being carefree. Her façade started to crumble those first few moments we met the 'popular clique' and realized just how important popularity would be in high school and for out futures.

I didn't like the defeated look on her back then and I especially don't like it now.

Officer Alto clears his throat from where he sits behind his desk. "It is a bit...shocking. And it won't be good for you to be stressed out during a trial while you're pregnant. We need to compile all the evidence we can so that if there is a trial, assuming we ever find a prosecutor willing to take the case, there will enough evidence to bury Ivashkov."

"What else can we give you? We've told all the details, we've gone over what happened repeatedly..." I lean back in my chair and exhale, pushing the hair that fell out of my ponytail out of my face.

Officer Alto leans forward on his desk and gives me a sympathetic smile. "I know. This is difficult. We knew going in that this wouldn't be easy. But we can't give up now."

"We're not exactly close to seeing the end of this though, are we?"

"Not exactly," he answers honestly. We both glance at Liss who is still sitting silently beside me, staring off into space.

Every emotion that conveys shock and surprise is playing across her face like a rapid slide show, unable to choose one to settle on. I can't even imagine it: a baby. Not only is there a life growing inside of her but Liss has to work out the current issues in her own life. We're not the same best friends we were but I wish thing's were easier for her.

"It would make things a lot easier if we could talk to Victoria," I suggest. "I mean, when Dimitri first found out and tried to talk to her I didn't really get to say anything. I was in shock too but...I think if it's me and Liss, we might be able to sway her."

Officer Alto's brow furrows.

Even Lissa turns to me in surprise.

After everything Victoria's done, I tried to hate her. I tried to be mad and blame her but unfortunately she's a victim in this to. She's one of us and it's going to take as many of us victims as we can find to end this once and for all.

"After the photo thing and choosing Adrian-" Lissa starts but I interrupt her.

"She's scared and confused. Just like we were. And she's younger than us. Her family can say all they want to," I turn to Officer Alto," you can say all you want to Victoria but she's not going to listen to anyone who can't relate. Lissa and I can though. Maybe we can make her see reason."

He thinks about it for a few moments more looking from Lissa and then back to me.

"You really think it's a good idea?"

"We won't know until we try," Lissa says for me, agreeing to my idea.

"And you feel comfortable doing this?" He asks.

I let out a slow breath and answer honestly. "No. Not really. I wish...I wish none of this was happening...I wish none of this happened but the only way all of this can be over is to try everything we can."

"Do you really think us talking to Victoria will help? If she won't listen to her own family, she sure as hell isn't inclined to listen to us," Lissa says on the way back to my house.

She spent the night last night and wasn't showing any signs of going home anytime soon.

"I think that unlike everybody else we can actually relate to what she's going through, to everything she's feeling, how afraid she is," I answer, repeating everything I'd said in Stan's office.

Lissa doesn't seem convinced at first and then rest of the drive home is quiet until we turn down my street.

"Whose car is that?"

I lean forward in my seat to get a good look at the familiar truck parked by the curb outside my house.

"Dimitri," I murmur more to myself than to Liss.

"Victoria's brother? The self-defense instructor guy?"

I nod, pulling Lissa's car into the driveway. Dimitri climbs out of his truck once Lissa and I are out of the car. He slowly approaches, almost hesitant as to see how this is going to turn out. It feels like such a long time since we've talked to each other - since the kiss - but I know it's only been a few days.

I kind of had this weird expectation that he'll look different but he looks the same: tall, good-looking, with a permanently calm expression on his face. He walks toward us and we meet half in the middle of the yard.

For a second the three of us are just standing there, Lissa a little ways behind me and Dimitri a few inches in front of me. Standing this close to him, I can practically feel the warmth rolling off of him in waves. I've missed that. There was something about being around Dimitri before that I couldn't really describe or name. It wasn't just his warmth or his comforting, caring and understanding personality.

It was something I haven't felt since I was last with him and that I didn't realize I was missing until now.

It's that he made me feel safe.

It could be his tall height, his friendliness, or general sense of calm or it could be all of those things combined. But whatever it is, I've missed it. I didn't really need it lately, but I've missed it.

"Hey," he greets offering the barest of smiles.

"Hey."

He lingers on me for a second, as if unsure what to say next but then his eyes flick behind me where I've forgotten Lissa was standing. I turn and gesture her closer. She takes a place beside me as I introduce them.

"This is Lissa. Lissa, this is Dimitri."

Lissa is barely able to nod as she takes in Dimitri's appearance, mouth slightly open as she shakes his hand limply. I realize that seeing someone with Dimitri's looks for the first time is a bit dazzling. His loose shoulder length hair that's blowing into his face and the neat stubble around his mouth and jaw aren't helping matters either.

"It's nice to meet you," Dimitri says as Liss still shakes his hand.

I nudge her and she finally releases his hand, realizing she'd been staring and about to drool.

"I'm very glad to see you here," he adds. "I'm guessing a lot of people are."

He's still talking to Liss who is only able to nod.

When it becomes obvious she isn't going to use any words, he turns his attention back to me. "I've been kind of out of the loop lately." He sounds almost ashamed, as if it's his fault that I kissed him and that it made things awkward between us. I wonder if he feels guilty for keeping himself away from me. I can't blame him.

I try the straight forward approach of just apologizing and suggesting that we pretend it never happened. It's not like we're never going to see each other again. If this case goes to trail of course both of us will be involved but I'd like it to be on comfortable terms. Despite not knowing Dimitri for a long time, I prefer having Dimitri around. He's my friend and I miss him. Besides, he might even be able to help Liss and I get close enough to Victoria to talk to her.

"It's not your fault. I'm really...about what happened...I shouldn't have-"

He holds up a hand to stop me and smiles gently. "It's okay, Rose. I was starting to get use to having you around a lot of the time but these past few days I've missed it," he says echoing my previous thoughts.

"Yeah me too. Do you wanna come in? We can catch you up and we could actually use your help with something."

An hour later Dimitri is caught up on everything that's happened, Lissa's scarfed down three sandwiches and two bags of chips, and I'm sitting between the two of them at the table grateful that Dimitri's here.

I've felt better these last few days on my own but it helps me feel more hopeful having him around. It didn't feel right without him.

"So...a baby?" he asks Lissa who sighs and leans back in her chair, burying her hands in her hair.

"Yeah..." she trails off. "A baby."

There's a heartbeat of silence before Dimitri says,"Offering congratulations just doesn't seem appropriate. If you ever need help though, I know my mother will do everything she can. We're all here to help."

This is especially what I've missed most about Dimitri. Much like Christian and Alto, he quick to offer any help he can. Such added support from a guy who can make anyone feel safe feels good.

"Thanks," Lissa says gratefully. "Alto said that even though this baby isn't exactly something be happy over given the circumstances, it could benefit the case if I...if I decide to keep it," she murmurs.

She stares at one particularly interesting spot on my kitchen table and doesn't say anymore. I wonder if she's tossing over the idea of not keeping it or figuring out who the father is.

"He talk to your mother and they told us that if Liss keeps the baby, a DNA test can be taken. They also said DNA can be taken from the...fetus in a few months but it'd be more conclusive if the baby is born. Assuming we get Adrian's DNA somehow, assuming it's his baby, and assuming he denies ever having been with Liss, it could push things in our favor," I elaborate.

"That's a lot of assumptions," Lissa mumbles poking at the table top with a fork.

"I know. And I don't think Adrian will deny having sex with you either. If anything, he'll probably make you look like some type of whore that force yourself on him," I grumble.

Afterall, that's what he did to me, turned the story around.

"Great," Lissa grumbles sarcastically.

She sighs and abruptly pushes her chair loudly against the hardwood floor. "Will anything ever swing in our favor?" She leaves and Dimitri and I don't say anything until we hear the door to the bathroom shut down the hall.

"She's starting to sound like me," I point out dryly. "Can't really blame her though, can I?"

"She'll be alright. She has you and you seem better," he points out.

I do?

"I do?" I ask surprised, voicing my thoughts.

He nods and laughs softly. "Christian told me that you seemed better these last few days and he was right. You seem...lively. Before, you always looked like you were going through the motions. Sometimes you'd laugh but you mostly seemed like you were a million miles away. Right now though, I can see it, something different in your eyes. It's like...I don't know...It's like you've decided to really fight this, like you've woken up. You seem more resolved."

I haven't felt any different. I've felt pretty much the same. Maybe I've been a little more awake and open-minded. My words have been clear. Is it possible I'm becoming my old self again? So soon? Maybe. It'll take time though. I just hope Dimitri's around this time to see it actually happen.

"I do feel better," I tell him. "I think it has to do with Liss. We're not exactly BFFs but she needs someone now and it feels like I'm the only one that she has."

"No family?"

I shake my head. "Her parents are always out-of-town or travelling. Her brother died in a car accident. It use to be just me and her against the world. Sometimes we'd include my mom in that too but now that she's gone-"

"Gone?"

In all of my explaining about Liss and how the case is going, I didn't tell him about my mom leaving.

"I haven't seen her since she left me at the police station. She called yesterday but she's not coming back for a while." Before Dimitri can say anything, I hold up my hand interrupting him, "I'm okay though. Alto knows and he's been keeping an eye on me and so has Christian but I've handled things here by myself okay and I think Lissa plans on staying here so...I'm good."

Dimitri tosses my words over in his head. "I'm so sorry, Rose. I'd hoped you have your mother around. Lissa especially needs her mother. You both aren't alone though so don't forget that," he tells me firmly and I smile. After a moment he smiles too. "I'm glad you haven't so far. I'm really glad you've been okay."

I nod. "Me too. Things aren't better but...at least we have a bit more help with Liss around."

"Speaking of help, what did you want my help with?"

Here comes the hard part. "It has to do with Victoria." I tell him about the plan I suggested earlier to Alto. Alto said that legally he couldn't agree with it but he's support us if it came down to it.

"I think if Victoria is confronted by both of us, she can't pretend this isn't happening anymore. Do you think you can help? Help us get into the same room as her."

He pushes his hair out of his face and leans forward on his clasped hands, elbows on the table. "I can talk to one of my sisters. Victoria isn't my biggest fan right now but they should be able to help."

A feeling of relief washed over me. "That's good. I hope it works. This whole thing would be a lot easier with her on our side."

Dimitri nods his agreement. For a long time we're just sitting in silence in the kitchen. It's comfortable but there's a bit of tension in the air to. Dimitri is obviously thinking hard about something but doesn't say anything for a while. It's like he's turning the words over in his, figuring out just how to phrase whatever it is he's thinking.

We hear Lissa finally leave the bathroom and the creak of the floors as she heads to my room presumably.

That's where she slept last night while I stayed in my mom's room.

The second the door closes Dimitri speaks. He's looking me in the eye so directly that it's almost unnerving being confronted with those deep brown eyes. A second before he speaks I can kind of tell what he's going to say, or ask rather.

"I have to ask because if I don't, it's going to be hard for things to feel...normal again," he starts.

"Ask what?" But I can already tell where this is heading.

He exhales slowly through his nose. "That night...why did you kiss me?"

I have a mix of reasons and excuses in my head but before any of them can come out, he continues. "These last few days I've thought it was because of the stress, Charlie really freaked you out, having the media around wasn't helping things, the case wasn't going anywhere. And then there was the thing with your mother," he lists.

I can tell he's been thinking about this a lot. Probably almost as much as I have since I planted that kiss on him. I wonder what he'd been doing during the time we weren't hanging out together. Did he fall back into the normal life he had before I walked into his gym or was he sitting around wondering how his life had come to this? I hope it was the former.

"The ironic part is that in the police academy and in the classes I took to become a certified defense instructor, we were taught that sometimes victims can become a little too attached, labelling us as their saviors or heroes. We were taught to keep a respectable distance while simultaneously informing the victim that they're never alone and that they always have help. My own mother gave me similar advice a few days before the...before the kiss," he laughed dryly. "Obviously I've forgotten my training," he says dryly.

I shake my head. "No, it was...it was me. I..." I take a deep breath. "Honestly I don't know why I did what I did. All of the reason's you listed are kind of true but there's another reason to," I admit.

I like Dimitri. I can admit that much. I shouldn't have these type of weird feelings for anyone, especially someone trying to help me and who didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask for any of this either and I can't help how I feel.

So I decide to stick to the truth as much as possible without pushing him any further away.

"You're a good friend. You're an amazing friend. That sounds so kindergarten but it's true. You're this amazing guy who's kind of like a real life Superman that makes people feel safe and warm and wanted. And I kind of..."

I'm starting to blush now. I wish my hair wasn't pulled back in a ponytail so that it can hide my face. I can feel the blood in my cheeks but I push myself to keep going. If I can get it out of my system and say it out loud, maybe these feelings will go away. Maybe with time I'll get use to just having Dimitri as a friend.

"I really liked being around you...a little too much and that day was so exhausting I just needed one moment where I didn't feel completely unwanted and alone and I thought that by kissing you I'd feel better. And I did...but I've felt better since then. And I'm hoping we can just kind of forget my awkward kiss," I suggest, laughing nervously. "I can't afford to lose you as a friend now."

Dimitri doesn't say anything for a minute after my little speech. I worry he's going leave and that I won't see him for a while. He smiles though eventually and I sag with relief, releasing the breath I didn't know I'd been holding.

"I shouldn't have gone for so long without talking to you. It seems like you did okay though even without your Superman," he kind of teases and I have to laugh, feeling relieved.