Lissa heaves a heavy sigh beside me.

"This is weird."

"What is?" I ask handing her one of the cups of water Olena poured for us.

She takes it and gulps it half way down before setting the cup on the rail of the back porch, staring off into the backyard.

"It's a nice dinner party," I add when she doesn't say anything.

"It's weird," she repeats.

"We use to always want to go to adult dinner parties like this when we were little," I remind her.

"Yeah well now all I want is to go lay down," she responds.

"I'm sure the Belikovs wouldn't mind if you go lie down upstairs," I assure her.

She sways a little but steadies herself on the back porch railing and drinks more of the water. "No. If I go lie down in this house all I'll be thinking about is how weird this is."

"What is so weird!"

"Where do I begin? We're here, having some type of party, pretending like everything is fine and dandy!" she snaps back at me. "And it's not!" She takes a few deep breaths and lowers her voice. "Victoria is sitting in the living room as spaced out as I am most of the time looking depressed and like her like is over. And you know what? That's what it feels like! It feels like my life is over! Our lives will never be the same after all of this."

She has a point. It feels like that sometimes. But not tonight. Tonight we're not going talk about this. I need just one night of normal.

"The Belikovs and Stan and Christian and his sister are talking like everything is perfect, like nothing has happened," she continues.

"Did you ever think maybe they just need a mental break from all of this?"

"The only ones that deserve a mental break around here are me, you, and Victoria-"

"This doesn't just affect us, Liss. Yeah, we're the victims, but the other people in there are dealing with this too," I try to explain to her.

I don't think she really grasps what I'm saying. If she does, her face doesn't show it. She leans forward on the rail and pushes her hair back from her face. Dimitri was right. Lissa looks nice tonight too but she's always been beautiful. Even now, looking so flustered, she's beautiful. And miserable. I can see that much.

"Another headache?" I ask quieting my tone. I hold my glass full of water to her forehead and she relaxes a bit.

She nods. "Headache, my chest hurts a little, I fee like laughing and crying now for no reason, and the smell of food makes me want to gag. You know, the usual," she lists laughing dryly.

Suddenly I feel guilty. I had wanted to leave the house because I'd been cooped up for so long. I thought it'd be a good idea to have fun for the first time in months and I thought it'd be good for Liss too but maybe I was only thinking of myself. Maybe hoping for one night of escape was too much. Maybe I'm trying to fool myself into thinking that I can have normal nights like this again.

Lissa looks beyond miserable and tired. She's dressed nicely but she's worn down.

"We should go home," I decide.

Lissa doesn't respond for a while. She takes another deep breath and releases it slowly before turning to look at me, her green eyes moist but she wipes at the building tears.

"No, we should stay. You want to stay."

"Between the two of us, I think what I want and you need are very different in levels of importance."

Lissa laughs a little. "Yeah but now you need to feel normal for just one night at the least. I can handle my symptoms for a few hours. You've done a lot for me lately. I think it's time I start returning the favor."

Admittedly, I'm surprised and I know it's showing on my face. Liss hasn't exactly been the best company to be around and I've managed to take care of both of us while she's staying at my house. At least I know she's grateful. For the second time in a week, I hug her and my best friend hugs me back.

"Are you sure?" I ask when I pull back. "Dimitri would be fine driving us home."

"I'm sure. I don't want to ruin his night either or Christian's. I'm just gonna stay out here though. The fresh air helps the nausea and I'm tired of puking."

"Okay. I'll go get us some more water and we'll sit out here together."

Before she can say anything else I grab her glass and head back inside. Lissa was right. Everyone is talking and smiling with Victoria as the exception. She's sitting on the living room couch looking out the window. Stan is talking to Sonya. Olena and Yeva are moving like two tornadoes setting the dining room table talking in a flurry of Russian and laughing. Christian is cooking the meal that he passes his exam with in a whirlwind in the kitchen. Tasha and Karolina are sitting with Paul and Zoya playing in the hall.

Everyone looks happy.

The only one missing is Dimitri.

Before I start looking for him, Olena notices me standing in the doorway and waves me over. "Need more water? How's Lissa? I've meant to talk to her about a few vitamins that can help with the symptoms," she asks quickly while multitasking setting down more plates and pouring more water into the empty glass.

"She's good. She just needs some fresh air now."

She nods, the dangling earrings in her ears swaying. "I understand. I use to stay outside all the time too when I was pregnant. I rarely felt nauseous with the fresh air."

"Is Victoria alright? I mean, I know she isn't alright, but..." I glance to where she's sitting in dark pants and a tank top still staring out the window.

"She's doing better than before," Olena assures me as she looks at her youngest daughter. It's a look that only a concerned mother can give her daughter. It's a look I haven't seen from my mother in a while.

Olena hands me the water and before she returns to the dining room area to finish helping her mother, she hugs me quickly and tightly, sloshing some of the water out of the cups and surprising me all at once. It feels like the same warm, comforting, and safe 'thank you' hug Dimitri gave me. She presses a quick kiss to my forehead.

"You are an extraordinarily strong and caring young lady, Roza. I hope you know that," she tells me.

Just as quickly she's gone and in the kitchen.

I feel like she should say those same words to Victoria but I guess things between family take time. Emotions are always different when you're dealing with family.

I realize more of the water sloshed out of my cup than I realized and I have to refill them again and clean up the water off the floor.

"She's right you know," Stan says. I realize he's stopped talking with Sonya who is digging in one of the hall closets with a pile of table cloths in her arm walking toward the dining room area. I blush a little at the compliment. "And you were right about talking to Victoria. It may not seem like it now but I really think she might be coming around to helping us. I talked to her a few times this week and she's really thinking things over. Whatever you and Lissa said to her really got through."

I feel relieved hearing this from Stan. Everyone else that has assured me about Victoria being alright is somehow related to her and I think they were more hoping she was alright than really knowing. Stan sounds certain she's going to be fine. "I'm glad. Dimitri told me you two were still working on finding a lawyer. Any luck?"

Stan hangs his head almost in shame, his hands in the pockets of the simple pants and dress shirt attire. "No. And the media really isn't helping matters the way they're exaggerating the case's details. Just don't worry about it too much. We'll figure something out," he assures.

Looking at Victoria again, I have to be reassured about her one more time.

"You think she'll be able to handle all of this?"

"You and Lissa are doing fine so far," he pointed out.

"Barely," I mumble.

"Better than most," he assured.

He reached out to pat my shoulder awkwardly as if he isn't really one to give out physical reassurances. I never really pegged him for the touchy feely type anyway but the gesture was nice.

"That was nice," Christian says as he tosses chopped vegetables into a skillet and Stan disappears to go and help Victoria and the others.

I blush a little, not realizing he'd been here the entire time. "Yeah. How's dinner coming a long?" I ask before the topic changes back to everything I'd been trying to avoid talking and thinking about tonight again. "It smells good. Isn't it kind of funny though that you have to make your own celebration dinner?"

"Yeah, when Tasha told me about this dinner party idea I though she'd be making dinner or maybe Olena but then I remembered my sister can't cook. Olena can but I figured I'd give her a break," he explains as I go to refill Lissa's glass again.

"Aww. You're a good guy. The girl who marries you will be very lucky," I compliment.

"Whoa! Whoa! Let's not go around telling people I'm a nice guy. It'll ruin my rep," he says half jokingly.

I laugh just as Tasha comes into the kitchen. She and Christian don't really look much alike aside from the bright blue eyes and the dark hair. When we were first introduced she looked at me kindly and hugged me so quickly the breath left my lungs for a few seconds. Hugging and affection seems to be the theme for tonight. She seems nice though and as fun to be around as Christian is.

"And what kind of reputation is it that you're so afraid of ruining?" Tasha says leaning against the counter beside, her long peasant skirt swaying around her legs and the hoops in her ears jingling.

"I have a rep as the dark and brooding chef who doesn't show his emotions or get compliments that he's a nice guy."

Tasha and I both laughed.

"Are you doubting my rep?" he asks which only made us laugh little harder.

Remembering some of the water from the glasses spilled on the floor I went to grab for the mop behind the door to clean the mess up. Just as tried to step over the spill I ended up landing on the weak ankle and landing in a fall directly on my butt on the hard floor. Lucky for me and by some miracle I didn't.

Before letting out part of a very girly squeal I inhaled the sweet, spicy scent of aftershave and soap and realized I'd been saved from my fall by Dimitri who was holding me upright.

"Nice reflexes, Dimitri. Are you alright Rose?" Tasha and Christian asked as they moved toward us, careful of the puddle.

Suddenly I'd lost all ability of speaking while I looked up at Dimitri who was staring down at me concerned.

"Rose are you alright?" he asked repeating Tasha's question.

He helps to straighten me up.

"Yeah I'm good," I say breathlessly.

"We sure are lucky to have a hero like you around aren't we," Tasha laughs nervously probably thinking about how painful that fall could've been for me. She pats Dimitri's arms and an awkward kind of silence settles in because Dimitri's still holding me up, Tasha has her arm on his shoulder, I'm breathless and trying to avoid contact with those intense brown eyes staring down at me worriedly, and Christian is staring at all of us trying to figure out what's going on.

As I look at Tasha's beautifully manicured hand on Dimitri's arm while she looks between the two of us who still haven't moved I start to wonder if there's more than just a friendship between the two of them. I remember Christian mentioning a few weeks ago that Dimitri was supposed to help Tasha with moving. I'd felt weird when I'd heard this and now those weird feelings were settling in again.

"Dimitri," Tasha says gently still looking between us. She laughs a little. "You can let her go now. She's alright. Right?" She asked turning her attention to me. She held both of her hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eye, checking to see if I'd somehow injured myself.

I decided right then that I liked Tasha and was thankful for her concern.

I nod. "Yeah I'm fine."

"That's good. I'm going to clean this mess up. Why don't you go sit down and I'll bring you some more water," she suggested.

I nod still a little shaken not from the fall but from the moment after.

"Lissa too," Christian told her reminding me that the reason I was in here was to bring Lissa something to drink.

"Yeah Lissa too please," I agreed.

"Alright. Help me, Dimitri."

I headed out of the kitchen, Dimitri helping me maneuver over the mess still on the floor on the way out. The sudden feel of the warmth of his callused hands on my arm shocked me. I somehow managed to give him an appreciative smile though and continued heading outside to where Lissa was resting back on a chair.

Victoria is sitting beside her.

I hadn't even notice her move from her spot in the living room.

I move slowly to sit with them in another one of the chairs careful to not disturb Lissa who I see now is apparently sleeping.

Victoria is staring intently at her, her still flat stomach in particular.

"I can't even imagine," she says so quietly that I wonder if she even realizes I'm there.

"Me either."

"Karolina was pregnant as a teenager but...Lissa's situation is a bit different."

I lean back into my chair and brush my hair back from my face. As much as I hoped to avoid conversation like this for the night, it seems it's all anyone can talk about. "The only good thing about all of this is that it's not just Lissa's situation. She has two girls that know what she's been through that can help her by building a case against-"

"I know," Victoria interrupts in a firm voice. "I've been thinking about this nonstop since you guys left here the other day." She pushed her hair, as thick and the same shade of brown slightly curly at the ends as her brother's, back from her face. Her eyes are closed. "I want to help. I just don't think I can."

"Of course you can. I don't know you that well... or at all but I do know your brother and if you're anything like Dimitri then I know you're brave."

As corny and weird as it was to say it, my words seemed to sink in.

Victoria relaxed a little.

"I don't want to be the bad guy. I want to do my part and help but...if I do...things are going to get bad."

"They're already bad. How much more awful can they get," I mutter dryly.

Victoria seemed to share my dry humor and gave the barest smiles before it fell completely.

"I saw him." I didn't have to ask who but she told me anyway. "Adrian. I didn't mean to. I mean...I wasn't trying to find him but when I left after you and Lissa came over, I saw him at the high school. He didn't really say much but he made it pretty clear that if I took the wrong side in this situation he'd make things terrible for all of us and he'd get away with it too. And he will, Rose. He'll getaway with this. And even if we try and fight this case it won't change what happened, Lissa will still be pregnant and...I just can't."

I couldn't blame her. These same thoughts ran through my head more times than I can count. But it eventually it sank in that fighting back would make a difference.

I went out on a limb and reached for Victoria taking her hand between mine so that I'd have her undivided attention. "It matters, Victoria. Going tot he police and building this case will prevent others from going through the same things we do. Adrian and Jesse and Ralph should be punished for what they did."

"And what if they aren't?"

"Than at least people will know what kind of people they are."

I don't know how but I could suddenly sense a change in Victoria. She'd made a decision about all of this. I just hope she made the right one.

"You're not alone. That's the most important thing to remember during all of this. You're not alone. Okay?"

It takes a second but she nods, tugging at the tank top she's wearing. It was going to be hard saying what I had to say next but she had to know. "And even if you decided not to say anything or not help, we're not going to suddenly hate you or shut you out. Your family loves you and Lissa and I will understand. It'll be hard but at the very least we'll try to understand," I added.

Out of everything I've said to her, this seemed to relax Victoria the most and smiled, full on so much like the other members of her family that I felt like I could've been talking to any one of them now.

Victoria squeezes my hand and sighs. "I never really apologized for...for helping to send those photos of you around."

"It's okay. Well, actually it's not okay but I can kind of try to understand why you did it," I assure her gently. Whatever tension that's left in her shoulders disappears and she nods wiping at a tear that had quickly fallen as Tasha comes out to bring us our water.

"Everything alright out here?" she asks gently, handing the glasses to each of us as Lissa stirs slightly awake.

"Yeah, I think we're good," Victoria murmurs.

"Is dinner ready? I'm nauseous yet starved," Lissa grumbles sitting up.

We laugh as Tasha leads the way back into the house. "Almost. I'm sure we can convince Christian to rustle a quick snack up."

We walk into the kitchen following Tasha where everyone else has already gathered as food is being placed into serving dishes and drinks are being poured.

Christian is quick to grab Lissa a stool to sit on while Victoria goes behind her mother and hugs her tightly. Olena stiffens and is surprised at first but when she turns around and sees it's her daughter, she smiles and pulls her close to her chest. I can't tell what she saying to her but I know that whatever it is, I wish my mother had said the same to me.

"Are you okay?"

I look away from the private moment between mother and daughter and look up at Dimitri.

"Yeah, I'm good."

He searches to see where I'd been looking and then smiles. "That's nice to see. What'd you say to her?"

I lift one shoulder in a small shrug. "I just had to remind her as much as you reminded me that she's not alone and that you guys won't ever stop loving her."

Dimitri smiles down at me appreciatively. "At least she's finally listening to someone. This is a good start."

I look back to where Olena and Victoria are still hugging and talking and smile both softly and sadly. "Yeah it is."

I don't know how he does it or maybe it's just easy to tell what I'm thinking about. "You and your mother will be together again. This has just been difficult on everyone, especially the mothers it seems."

I wanted to feel as certain as he did about being able to talk to my mother again without her having a breakdown but I couldn't. I doubted it'd be soon before I saw he again. She hadn't even called in the last few days after promising to. I shouldn't be disappointed.

In fact, I should be accustomed to being disappointed by my mother by now.

For a while, she surprised me.

She acted fast and was quick to take me to the hospital and the police when I came home that night after my 'mugging'. She'd been the protective mother I'd always hoped she could be and she made herself around a bit more. And then that changed. I told her the truth of it all and it started to sink in that she was failing as a mother for not protecting me more.

I want to hate her for not being around as often as I needed or wanted her to be but the majority of the reasons she wasn't around was because she was working. I wanted to hate her for being distant sometime and instead choosing to drink but I couldn't blame her because grandma had been the same way with her. I wanted hate her for not being here with me now when I would probably need her the most in my life. But honestly, I just felt sad.

No hatred towards my mother.

Only sadness.

Lissa's mother and father Rhea and Eric hadn't always been so distant. It was Andre's death that set them apart from their daughter. The Belikovs were probably a tight-knit family before the incident with their father and Ivan occurred and with all of this going on.

Big events like this changed families.

I just wanted everything to be the same. Or maybe even better.

The last time I'd been in school, we'd hade a college counselor talk to us not only about our futures and how out futures would always be changing depending on the choices we make. The counselor also warned us to always expect the unexpected and that when life throws us punches to just roll with them and move on to the next moments in our lives.

Looking at Victoria and Olena hugging and starting to repair their relationship to get through this together, I wanted nothing more than to move on to the next moment in my life and hopefully have a bright future.

I just get the feeling I never will.

A second before the tears starting to build behind my eyes could fall I turned away from where everyone was talking and smiling and even hugging and left the room. I didn't know Dimitri was following me until I turned into the furthest room from the kitchen.

It was a kind of sitting room with many windows and completely quiet.

For a few heartbeats, Dimitri just let me cry.

It was just like those times in his car when all the emotions started building up inside me and he let me cry. And just like those times he wasn't quick to reach out and touch me. I'd been grateful that he'd kept his distance then. Only this time, I wanted him to. I wanted someone near and close to me the same way Victoria had. Even Lissa had a little being inside of her to kind of keep her company.

I was more than aware that I wasn't alone in all of this but that awareness didn't keep me from feeling alone. I wonder if Victoria or Liss feel the same way sometimes. I suddenly feel like a hypocrite for preaching about not feeling alone to Liss and Victoria.

I cry a little harder and this time Dimitri reaches to comfort me.

He does it as tentatively as he'd hugged me before, as if I'm too delicate to touch as if I might break. But before I know it, he's holding me close and I'm almost smothered against the dark dress shirt he's wearing against his chest.

I wanted to have one night without so much emotion, one night to feel normal again.

So much for that idea.

I don't know how long we stood there but after a while I could feel the gentle touch of his hand running down my hair soothingly.

"It's going to be alright," he murmured. "It doesn't feel that way but it's going to be okay," he whispered.

I couldn't help the sudden laugh building in my chest. I pulled back slightly and wiped at my eyes. "I should probably take my advice and stop crying so much."

I could feel his hands brushing the strands of hair that were sticking to my tears away so that he could see me clearly. "The last few weeks have been rough. You've kind of been the backbone keeping everyone else up. No one will blame you for having a nice long cry," he said gently, smiling slightly.

Looking up at Dimitri just then, I could see why I'd kissed him before.

There were many reasons, plenty of excuses that ran along the lines of me feeling alone and Dimitri being my savior. But one of the biggest reasons, the truthful answer to why I'd kissed him was because I liked him. I admitted that much to myself before but I had to say it again.

I could see him as a cop.

He'd save people everyday of his life, especially women, and they'd look at him like the hero he was. He was someone that was so tall and visibly strong that you'd never feel unsafe around him. As strong and tough as he appeared, he was one of those secret teddy bears on the inside that could make the toughest guy's heart melt. He emanated warmth, safety, and security with just one look of his gentle eyes.

I haven't known Dimitri for very long but I do know one thing: I'll never feel unsafe again as long as he's around.

With the way he was looking at me now I could almost imagine him wanting to kiss me back.

I'll be honest. I was tempted to steal another kiss from him but I was quickly reminded of the long days I'd spent without him around the last time I'd planted one on him. Normal victims shouldn't have these feelings, I tell myself. Normal victims should be focusing on more important things than the warmth that I could feel moving from where Dimitri was holding me to the rest of my body.

Dimitri looked as if he was about to say something but seemed to catch himself, thinking better of it, and saying nothing.

I felt like I had something to say too but I didn't know what.

Instead, with the scent of the food drifting from the kitchen towards us, I brought up the dinner that was undoubtedly being served and the group of people probably wondering where we were.

"Dinner is probably done," I mumble.

Dimitri seemed like he hadn't heard me at first. In fact he seemed in a daze as he said, "Yeah we should go sit." But he quickly shook himself from whatever thoughts he'd been lost in and released me from his arms for the second time that night.

"Dimka's little tooshie was so cute, wasn't it!?" Yeva gushed passing around the family photo albums at the dinner table as we finished eating.

Everyone at the table laughed but Christian looked more amused than the rest of us as he stared at Dimitri, a big grin on his face and his light blue eyes gleaming. "Dimka? Is that a nickname?"

Before Olena could answer, Dimitri spoke, squinting his eyes at Christian. "Don't even go there, Chrissy?"

The smile on Christian's face instantly fell as he shot his sister an adorably embarrassed look that Dimitri had worn a few moments before. "Tash, you told him!"

Tasha laughed playfully punching her brother's arm. "It slipped out!"

We all continued to giggle as Christian shot her the same evil eye that Dimitri was shooting Sonya for pulling the pictures out and passing them around. Despite my tears and the emotion from earlier tonight, I was feeling good. This is what normal felt like and I hadn't felt it in so long it almost felt foreign to me.

Glancing at Lissa and Victoria who were leaning over a particular cute photo of a naked Dimitri running with his diaper on his head, I wondered if they felt the same way. I was glad we were all smiling though. It feels good to smile so openly without waiting for another catastrophe to smack us head on in the face immediately afterward.

"There are a few photos in here I'm sure the guys at the station would love to see," Stan grinned looking at Dimitri.

"I'm never going to live this down," Dimitri groaned but smiled at the same time.

"It's not that bad," Tasha assured him. "I have photos of Christian-"

"We will not speak of such photos!" Christian interrupted causing everyone to laugh even harder.

Karolina patted his hand reassuringly as she held a squirming Zoya on her lap. "Don't worry. Paul has just as many naked photos as I'm sure you do. It must be a boy thing putting the diaper on top of your head."

"Maaaama," Paul complained covering his face in shame.

She kissed the top of her son's head and laughed as she murmured something in Russian to him. Beside them, Sonya and Olena were laughing at a large picture that was a close up of baby butt and handed it to Christian. He held it up making sure everyone could see, making it a point to show Dimitri.

"I want to see those naked baby photos of Christian," Dimitri told Tasha making sure Christian could hear. Before Christian could protest as he looked at another photo of naked baby Dimitri, Dimitri added, "It's only fair."

"I'll show them to you on our next date," Tasha told Dimitri.

It was in that moment it really hit me. All night I'd been sensing vibes between Tasha and Dimitri. I knew they'd been kind of seeing each other but the word 'date' and watching as Tasha leans close to Dimitri, one hand on top of his resting on the table and their legs touching beneath the cloth really made it all sink in. I liked the Dimitri but it wasn't like anything was ever going to happen. For one thing I'm way too damaged to even think about relationships again. For another thing...why do I feel so angry? Why is this upsetting me?

It shouldn't be. I just got Dimitri back into my life again. Why am I having these irrational weird feelings for someone who I really need as a part of my support system now? It's just a small weird crush. It's understandable considering he's been more than a hero to me these past few weeks.

What the hell happened?

A second ago I was smiling and feeling good. I was feeling normal and happy. Now all of a sudden I'm not warm with elation but warm with...what is that? Anger? No that can't be it. Jealousy?

It's not like Dimitri is mine and yet I'm having these conflicting feelings that I haven't felt since...since...ever.

He's older. He's my self-defense instructor. He's only here to help me.

Of course something had to go wrong.

I had to start having feelings that I'm failing to control.

I should have known. I should have anticipated this.

For a second, it felt like everything was beginning to fall into place. This situation didn't feel so hopeless.

So much for feeling good.

"Are you okay?" Lissa asked as we all headed into the living room.

If I had dime for every time someone asked that tonight...

"Yeah why?"

"You were kind of quiet at dinner. Smiling but quiet. What's up?"

For a second I was ready to spill everything. It would be the way it use to be and I'd tell Lissa of all my crazy jumbled feelings and we'd talk about it in detail until the sun came up. I couldn't though. Not this time. Not because our friendship was barely rebuilding itself but because emotions like these, as ridiculous as they are, need to be kept to myself.

I don't want to make things awkward foe everyone else by telling anyone else.

"Nothing. I had a good time tonight. I just started thinking of my mom earlier and yeah," I shrugged nonchalantly.

Lissa seemed to buy this and nodded. "Yeah I think about my mom a lot too," she mumbles patting at her stomach..

I grabbed a hold of her hand and squeezed. "We're doing fine without them. Let's not let them ruin tonight, okay?"

"Yeah, we're having a surprisingly good night."

"No weirdness?" I asked referring to our earlier conversation.

She giggled. "No weirdness."

As everyone settled into a seat in the living room, I noticed Victoria was the only one standing in front of all of us as if she was going to make an announcement. Christian offered a seat beside him on the couch to Lissa and Tasha while Dimitri and Karolina sat on the chairs beside them still laughing about the photos that had been passed around while Zoya and Paul were settled on their laps. Olena came in with Stan and Sonya behind her carrying trays of coffee and tea. Yeva came to sit beside me on another one of the comfortable couches.

She startled me when I felt her thin hand clasp my own. She didn't say anything but she didn't have to. She smiled, wrapped an arm over my shoulders as if she'd done so many times before and I was one of her grandchildren, and pressed a quick gentle kiss to my forehead.

"You're going to be alright. With or without your mother, you're going to be fine."

I didn't know how she heard my conversation with Lissa or maybe my conversation with Dimitri in the kitchen earlier. I looked at her questioningly but she only laughed gently and patted my hands, squeezing her thin arms around me.

I couldn't help laughing too.

I still wasn't sure how she knew what I'd been thinking about the majority of the night but it was nice having a grandmother like person again, so close. If she was a little shorter with thick curly silver hair instead of a straight silvered braid, a little thicker around the edges and had a soft Irish accent instead of Russian, she could be my grandmother.

The reminder makes me tilt my head onto her shoulder and just lay there, forgetting all of my crazy emotion for just one second and just resting.

After all the cups of coffee and tea are passed around and Olena settled herself down, the room quiets as Victoria speaks.

Her voice is nervous and she's trembling a bit but she locks eyes with me and Lissa and immediately I know what she's going to say. Out encouraging gentle smiles urge her to go on.

"I know tonight's been light-hearted and fun after...everything we've been through but it's also a chance for me to tell everyone at once that I've made a decision about helping with the case."

Everyone seems to go still at once.

"I can't let Rose and Lissa fight this battle by themselves because this is my fight too unfortunately so I've decided to help with the case," she finishes, releasing a shaky breath.

I can't tell if it's the fear settling in or the relief of finally having made a decision but Victoria can't seem to stop shaking. She offers a lopsided smile to all of us watching her as we take in what she's just told us. I've felt that same shaky trembling uncertainty and fear when I decided to talk to the police about what happened.

I wasn't about to let her feel the same way.

I stood up and immediately wrapped my arms as tight around her as I could. I didn't realize Yeva had come with me until I felt her thin arms around us and then many more that followed. Soon it was a big group hug that might have been awkward in most situation but here it was just comforting.

"I'm so proud of you," Olena said kissing her daughter's head repeatedly.

There was a mix of more Russian and English murmurs of relief and happiness as everyone pulled apart to take each turn hugging Victoria who was the most relieved out of all of us. I'd guess she'd been more afraid than I'd realized.

"We have another reason to celebrate!" Olena grins.

"Is this really something to celebrate Ma, especially considering the circumstances?" Sonya asked.

"Of course it is!" Yeva answered instead. "This is the start of the three of you getting your lives back. I'd say that's something to celebrate."

As quickly as the hugs came, smiles grew around each of our faces as realization set in. This was the start, another chance we were being given that we might win this.

I was feeling as hopeful as I'm sure everyone else is. Things feel good and it's like we have a chance.

I'm just hoping everything stays this way.