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Time-jump alert. This is six years after the last chapter. OTMA = 21, 19, 17, 15, D is 17, and even though I haven't metioned him yet (I will), her little brother is 12. There are a few more facts I want to clarify now that I'm dealing with actual Romanov history, in a way, here: Kharitonov was actually a staff member, he was the Imperial head chef. Olga did deny suitors to stay with her family. Tatiana was known to be the quiet one. Etcetera. Go on, keep reading!

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"Cover for me."

Anastasia was hopping around the room, gathering her things and begging her sisters for yet another favor.

Olga sat at the desk, flipping throught the book of signatures from the last party. She rolled her eyes at her little sister. "I want no part of this."

"You don't even know what I'm planning!"

"Exactly. Ignorance is bliss."

"You never say that."

"It is in your case."

Tatiana spoke up from over by the beaureau. "I'll cover for you."

All three of her sisters stopped what they were doing and stared at her.

Tatiana shrugged. "What? I don't always have to be the goody-goody." Then, as the others went back to their business, a sly smile came over her face. "Besides. I think it's cute."

This time it was Anastasia's turn to be shocked. "Cute?"

"Oh, you know. Our little sister sneaking out to be with a boy. It's adorable."

Anastasia shook her head, resuming throwing things in and out of a knapsack. "Please. It's not like that with us. Dimitri's my best friend."

Instantly she felt six blue eyes burn into her, and she re-phrased.

"Besides you guys."

Maria put her novel down and sauntered over to her sister. "I think you like him," she cooed.

"Mashka---"

"The duchess and the kitchen boy!" Maria continued dramatically, swooning like an actress. "Whatever will the people say?"

"She's totally in love," Olga agreed. "And it's about time."

"I'm only fifteen," Anastasia defended, "I am not in love, and besides, Olga, weren't you supposed to get married last month?"

Olga turned beet red. Pretending not to care, she stated, "He wasn't my type and he smelled like a fish factory."

"You're twenty-one and you still live with mama and papa."

"When did this conversation become about me?"

"Anyway," Anastasia concluded, throwing her knapsack over her shoulder, "that's ridiculous. He's my friend, and you all can just drop it at that. Or mama and papa will suddenly find out why Baron Androven left."

The three blushing sisters traded a guilty glance, while the youngest Nicholaivna opened the window and threw one leg, then the other, over the sill.

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Kharitonov had a sharp eye. He didn't even have to look up, in fact, to notice that the stack of unwashed dishes was nearly as tall as he was.

He sighed. Eight years of dealing with this kid, from a bratty nine-year-old to the seventeen-year-old rebel that he was, had him longing for a vacation. Especially now that the little twerp had developed some kind of badly-hidden affection for the youngest daughter. "I don't want to have to alert the Tsar of your lack of work ethic, Dimitri."

No response.

Approaching the fortress of ceramics, Kharitonov peered around the side. Sure enough, the boy was gone. Again.

"Aaagh. You!"

A passing maid stopped in her tracks and looked up at him, surprised.

"Tell the staff to take over for me for the time being. I'll drag him back here myself."

With that, he stalked off, leaving a very confused maid and a tower of china quivering in his wake.

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Me and Dimitri. Ha. Can you believe that? It's crazy. They don't know what they're talking about.

Anastasia couldn't stop ranting to herself all the way across the estate. Especially after the disturbing conversation she's heard from her window, moments after reaching the ground.

She's just in denial, Tatiana had been saying. Sooner or later she'll realize it.

Olga had agreed, adding, I don't know what she sees in him---what's the point? He's a servant. It would be forbidden.

He's not even her age, Maria had pointed out. If anyone should have a crush on him, it would be me. After all, I'm the one who's seventeen.

Her older sisters' chorus of agreement had left a knot in Anastasia's stomach. She found herself blaming Maria for the whole conversation, and the thought of her closest sister and her best friend together was...well, she didn't want to think about it. Not that she was jealous. No. She wasn't jealous. How could somebody be jealous over something that didn't even happen that might get in the way of something they didn't even want? No. Jealousy was not on the table.

And so what? So what if Maria liked him? So what if they got together? So what if they grew up and got married and moved far away to rule some obscure foreign country and had forty-five thousand kids and grew old together? She'd be happy for them, that's what she'd do. She'd be ecstatic. She'd babysit.

Of course, she realized, she'd have to clobber Dimitri if they ever broke up. And then she'd have to kill Maria for hurting him. In fact, that would be first on the list. He was Dimitri. Her Dimitri. Maria would just have to understand that.

Whoa whoa, hang on a second. Why am I obsessing over this? It was just an innocent comment. Mashka couldn't care less about him. Why am I doing this?

Oh, my God. I'm jealous. I am.

But why? Why? Does this mean I like him? Like Olga said, it would be forbidden. He's a servant. I'm a Grand Duchess. But that never stopped us from being friends! But that's right---he's my friend. It could wreck that. If I did. I mean, I guess it's not like I've never thought about him like that before...what if he's thinking the same thing? What if he's been thinking it all this time? Or what if he hasn't? I don't even know what I'M thinking anymore.

Anastasia had too many thoughts and was running out of garden. She realized as she approached the old tree that what she really needed was to sit down. That, and she was gonna kill her sisters.

But as soon as she saw Dimitri, waiting for her by the trunk, she was relaxed. All thoughts of confusion and stress drifted away. They were wrong. With him, she could just be. He was the only real, non-related friend she had, and he would stay that way.

"Hey, somebody's late," he greeted.

"Sor-ry, Mr. Punctual, I was in the middle of a...conversation."

He nodded to the tree, the one that had grown to be both their favorite. "You first?"

Nodding, Anastasia went toward him and got a good grip on his shoulders, and stepped into his hand as he boosted her up to the lowest branch. They'd done this a thousand times over the years, and by now the routine was easier than breathing.

Once she was about halfway up, Dimitri followed her up from the other side. "Do you ever think we're getting too old to climb trees?" Anastasia mused.

Dimitri made it to the top and sat on the highest branch. She was already there. "Not for a view like this. I don't think you can ever be too old for that."

The two of them sat there for a long while in an understading silence. Formality and titles, rank and society between them had fallen away long ago, before it was ever even established. They were born on opposite ends of the ladder, but that had never stopped them from sharing a thought, an afternoon, a branch.

Silence had been what they both needed, and before they knew it, an hour of it had passed, as had the sun. Finally they started back down the tree, and they jumped the last two feet to earth.

"You know," Anastasia mentioned, dusting off her skirt, "I can't even picture any of my sisters climbing a tree. I'm not even sure they can."

"I don't know," Dimitri smirked. "I bet Maria could beat you with a little practice."

Something about that was unnerving. It was like when the needle dropped on the record. Everything peaceful and calm about the last hour tore in half, and Anastasia went off. "How would you know?"

He looked a little startled, raising his hands in defeat. "Easy. I was kidding."

"That's funny to you? Well you're hilarious. The two of you can just laugh about this for hours. What kind of sick conspiracy is this?"

"Cons---"

"Oh, she is good. 'Oh, it's so cute!' 'Oh, what will the people say?' It was her the whole time. I can't believe I was so stupid!"

"Anastasia---look, this is just a wild guess, but is something wrong?"

"Oh, no, no no. I'm fine. I'm an idiot, but that's okay. Look at me---I'm going crazy over nothing. God, what is it about Maria? You'd probably rather have been with her all day."

"Whoa, whoa, I would not have rather been with her. I mean, don't get me wrong, I like your family, but they're not my best friend. You are." Dimitri had no clue what was going on, but he didn't like seeing her upset like this. Taking her by the shoulders, he looked straight into her wide blue eyes, and she looked back. "Okay?"

He was talking, but he wasn't exactly listening. Something was making him regret looking in her eyes like that, and it was the same thing that wasn't letting him pull away. When she nodded, the breeze tossed her red hair against his arm, and he noticed that too.

She was nodding, but she wasn't exactly listening, either. Why was he looking her like that? Why was he comforting her insted of telling her You're crazy, get over it? When did he get taller than her? Was his hair always like that?

"I, um...." Dimitri wasn't sure how or why he was talking, but he managed. Sort of. "I think maybe..."

"Yeah." Neither of them noticed they'd been getting closer. "I have to...ask you..."

"Yeah?"

"Something...."

And suddenly going back was impossible, because the space left between them was gone. Hidden as they were in the evening shadows of the tallest tree, their kiss was unexpected, innocent and slow, nothing like either had ever experienced.

Just as slowly they pulled apart. Their eyes met again.

Dimitri was the first to speak, which he considered a major accomplishment since the combination of joy and disbelief was clouding his better judgement. "Wow."

"Whoa."

"I know."

"Yeah."

"So...?"

"I don't know."

"But what about...?"

"I don't know!"

"Dimitri!"

That last word hadn't come from either of them. Instantly they both looked up, and discovered Kharitonov a good thirty feet away, holding up a lantern and scowling to high heaven.

"Dimitri!"

Anastasia looked back up at him, and this time she was smiling. "I should get back inside."

"Yeah, and I..." Dimitri looked back at Kharitonov and gulped. "Am due for a lecture."

"Well, then I suggest to spare you another one we keep this a secret," Anastasia laughed. Turning to run back across the lawn, she stopped, and turned back to him, beaming. She knew what she wanted now. Half shouting, half whispering, she added, "Meet me tomorrow?"

Dimitri decided to accept just in case he was actually awake. "Definitely," he nodded, and the young duchess turned once more and scampered for the palace, her skirt swirling behind her in the night air.

Knowing he was in for it, in more ways than one, Dimitri forced the smile from his face and trudged back to Kharitonov. Anastasia, however, made a mental note that she owed her sisters for life.

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XD !!!!! Yay! I know I got them together rather quickly this time, but the topic isn't just 'would they have still been together,' it's 'what would have happened.' Thank God for sisters! XP More is on its way ASAP, and I will promise you that you will not see the next chapter coming. Please review!

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