Six Months Later

Today I got the most unexpected news ever.

My phone rang and I swear I was going to kill the person who was calling. I was six months pregnant and a pregnant women needed her sleep.

I looked at my Blackberry Tour and Olena Belikov's name read across the screen. My anger dimmed a little. I pressed the green button and answered the call.

"Hey," I said sleepily.

"Rose, my dear, it is good to speak to you. How is my future granddaughter doing?" Olena looked at my kids as her grandchildren.

Always the same question. How is the baby doing, Rose? Not how are you doing Rose? I rubbed my stomach and the baby moved in response. I had gone last week to get an ultra sound and the doctor had told me the good news that I would be having a girl; Adrian and I decided to name her Taylor Alba. "She is doing well. So what can I do for you, Olena?"

"I'm sorry for interrupting your sleep but I need to speak to your husband."

I looked over at Adrian who had been rubbing my stomach now looking at me curiously. "Okay." I handed him the phone.

"Olena, how's it going?" he asked politely.

I laid back down on the bed and almost fell asleep if not for one thing. "What?" Adrian asked. His outburst had caused the baby inside me to start kicking; she was going to be one crazy, strong girl like her mother. Adrian started stroking my stomach soothingly hoping to calm the baby.

It was my turn to look at him with curiosity.

APOV

"Olena, how is it going?" I asked her kindly, although I was raging inside for interrupting my good sleep and dream with my little dhampir.

"Adrian," she began, "I just got a call from St. Vlad's and they told me that Dimitri came back. He really is back we just finished talking to him."

"What?" My outburst had been loud enough to probably wake up the whole house. Unfortunately, it had disturbed little baby dhampir's sleep. Rose got a pained expression on her face, the one she usually got when the baby started kicking her hard. I rubbed her stomach gently.

Rose was looking at me with a million questions in her eyes. "How could that be possible?"

"I don't have the faintest idea. Yeva had a vision of this but we ignored it. And it turns out she was right." She was happy that she had her son back and I was happy for her. "Adrian, I was wondering if you could take Rose to the Academy. He is asking for her. Can you do that, Adrian? We will be traveling to the Academy shortly."

I looked over at Rose and it took me a minute to answer. Should I do this? Rose had given me the best things in life, she had married me and given me a beautiful son and she was about to give me a daughter. Now, this was my chance to repay her for giving me the best things ever. "Yes, Olena, I can do that."

"Thank you, Adrian. And sorry for disturbing you and Rose."

"No problem."

RPOV

What the hell was happening? "No problem." Adrian replied to something that Olena had said.

"I'll do what I can. Yeah, I will. Bye."

They finished there conversation and he handed the phone to me. I tossed it to the nightstand. I looked at the clock and it read four-thirty a.m. I was about to pass out again when Adrian pulled me to him and asked, "What do you think about taking a trip?"

"Like this? And where?" I said a hand on my stomach.

His hand covered mine. "Nothing is wrong with that. A trip to St. Vladimir's Academy."

"Why?"

"Somebody wants to talk to you there."

I closed my eyes. "Can we talk about it later?" I asked already half asleep.

He chuckled quietly. "Of course, my love." He pulled me as close as my stomach allowed and I fell asleep.

I woke up five hours later because I had been dreaming about a fruit cocktail and now I was craving it. I shook Adrian and I'm sure it rattled his bones. "Adrian!"

"Yes, little dhampir?"

"I want a fruit cocktail."

He got off the bed. "I'll ask Deena to make it and I'll will bring it as soon as I can."

"It better be fast."

I noticed that my rambling had wakened up my almost one year old. "Mommy," he said and gave me the usual hug and kiss when he woke up.

"Hey, sweetie." I gave him kiss on his rosy cheeks.

"How is Taylor." It sounded more like Twwaayor but I understood him nonetheless.

He placed his small hand on my stomach. He leaned down and gave me a kiss on my blown up stomach. He ran a hand across my stomach. Taylor started moving inside. "Mommy, she's moving! She's moving!" He thought she was moving but no she was kicking. She always got like this when she heard his voice and Adrian's; when she heard mine, she usually just did a small kick and move around a little.

"Yes, she is, sweetheart." Adrian walked in with my fruit. I didn't look as appetizing as it did in my dream but I ate it anyhow. Adrian turned on the TV but he wasn't paying attention to it; he paid more attention to the kicking baby in my stomach.

"Taylor, when are you going to come out and play with me?" Ervin asked to the still kicking baby. Sometimes it felt like I was carrying a miniature elephant instead of a growing baby.

Adrian was now laying his hair against my stomach. His face was overcome with joy as his face laid on top of my belly.

He rubbed my stomach soothingly. "I can't wait till this baby is born."

"Why?" I asked while stroking Ervin's hair who had his ear pressed up against my stomach.

"To finally hold my daughter in my arms." Adrian said looking into my eyes.

I closed my eyes happily, imagining myself holding my sure-to-be beautiful daughter. I pictured her with Adrian's gorgeous eyes copied into my face. . .

I was so caught up in my fantasies when I remembered about earlier today. "Adrian?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"What did Olena want earlier today?" I asked.

He looked not wanting to meet my eyes. "Rose. . ."

"Adrian? Tell me."

"Rose, how about a trip to St. Vlad's?"

It was all he would tell me. "Why?"

"Just to revisit the past. Where we did our first dirty deed."

I laughed recalling the memory, where he and I had made love for the first time; it had been in his suite at guest housing. Him mentioning our first time, made me think back to the horrible day.

A million tears fell from my eyes. I ran blindly with no destination in my mind. This can't be true.

This can't be happening. No. No! NO! NO! He can't be dead. He can't. We were supposed to be together. He made a promise to me, he promised never to leave me. Why isn't he here? If he were dead, then I would die with him! They are lying to me. How can I even say that? I am the one who killed him.

"Rose!" I heard my mother shout form behind me.

The cabin, where him and I shared our first time. That final kiss, so filled with love. Our final look, a look that said I'm not going to make it, Roza, take care of yourself, for me. I love you. . . those were his last moments before the Strigoi finally killed him.

I could see the guest housing up ahead. Without thinking, I knocked on his door. He took one look at me and let me in.

"Rose, I heard what happened. I'm sorry." He wrapped his arms around me.

"Adrian, he can't be dead. He can't." I began sobbing uncontrollably. I stood there wrapped in his arms, my head buried in his chest.

He hugged me even harder. "Oh, Rose. . ."

"Adrian, we were supposed to be together. . . And now he is dead. I killed him." My sobs got louder and he led me to the couch. He sat me on his lap and pulled me close. "Why did this have to happen? Why?" I was now crying really hard. I'm sure it scared him; he had never seen me so vulnerable.

I buried my face on the hollow of his throat. I cried all the pain I was feeling, cried all the hurt I was experiencing. It was not long before I felt numb. I don't know how long I stayed there in his arms but I was very tired. "Adrian, can I stay here tonight?"

He kissed my forehead. "Of course, my little dhampir." He carried me to his bed because you could sure tell that I was tired.

He tucked me in and once the covers were under my chin, he kissed my forehead. "Have a good night, Rose."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to sleep on the couch."

I sat up. "No, Adrian stay here with me, please."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

He slipped under the blankets after a few moments.

"Hold me, please?"

"Of course, my beautiful little dhampir." He hugged me to him. With his arms around me, silent tears fell from my eyes, which he wiped away with his lips.

"It's going to be okay, little dhampir. He may be gone, but I'm still here for you. I'll help you get through. I won't let anything happen to, won't let anything hurt you like this again."

"I don't know how to move on, Adrian. Please help me."

He didn't answer, he kissed me rather than speaking. It was a soft ,passionate kiss. "I love you, Rose. Don't ever forget that. I'll always be here for you."

I snuggled closer into him. "Thank you, Adrian." His hands held me tighter against his chest. He kissed me again then I fell asleep.

My dreams were hunted by the images from when Dimitri lost that fight. Him falling. The Strigoi taking every ounce of his blood. Even though I was still asleep, I could feel tears falling out of my eyes. Although I could not stop the tears, I felt safe in Adrian's arms.

I came back to life and saw that his eyes were glazed over just like mine were. We looked at each other and sighed remembering the good memory.

"Why do you have to go all of a sudden?"

"We need a break from all this. Plus, Lissa and everyone you want to go can come with us. Olena said she would be there too."

It all seemed to weird. Why would he want to take such an immediate trip to St. Vlad's? It was not making sense. But I guess we would find out soon. . . .