Okay. First, thank you so much, guys! I'm extremely happy. =D Thanks so much. I really hate having to do that. Thanks again. So, as promised, an update!
Secondly, I kinda BS'd my way through this chapter with childbirth and etc... So if I got something wrong, please tell me nicely. I'm only in my teens, so I have no clue about any of this stuff. ;D
Disclaimer: Rose and Dimitri do not belong to me... I'm just borrowing them.
Dimitri and I were ready for the twins to be born. Well, we were still assuming twins since he was hearing a second heartbeat rather than only one. We had found a summer cabin and were hunkered down in it. We had gone shopping so that I had two weeks' supply of food. He was ecstatic about the whole thing. We knew it was only a few days away until the day came.
It had been decided that Dimitri would deliver them. We couldn't afford a hospital visit, even with Adrian's money backing us up. We were too busy saving that money to buy a house. Besides, he roughly knew how to do it. It couldn't be that hard anyway.
I had sent him out for some air a few hours ago, to be outside when he could. I knew he hated that he couldn't be in the sunlight. It reminded him of what he was. I usually sent him outside during the night for a few minutes, at least. It was taking him a while, but I tried not to worry about that. I already had too many things to be paranoid about.
I sat on the black couch and picked up the remote. I flipped through the channels restlessly, trying not to be concerned. But thoughts kept plaguing my mind. What if the Academy caught up with him? What if he was thirsty and had killed someone? That one scared me, and I tried to remember when he'd last fed from me. It was only three days ago, so he should have been good for another two days. But if he hadn't taken as much as he usually did, then he would be thirsty.
I heard the door open and sighed. "Dimitri?" I called. As soon as his name left my mouth, he was sitting next to me, smiling. I smiled back. "I was worried," I admitted as he moved me to his side. I wrapped my arms around his waist.
"Why?" he murmured.
"You were gone a while."
He sighed softly. "I didn't mean to worry you."
I shrugged against him. "I know. It was my fault. I was being paranoid again." I glanced back at the door where there were a few bags that hadn't been there a few hours ago. "Dimitri? What's that?"
He grinned sheepishly. "Well, um, I figured that I'd go shopping for Z and X?" We'd taken to calling them that seeing as we still didn't know the genders.
I smiled. Dimitri looked so guilty, glancing up at me hopefully. "That's sweet, Dimitri," I whispered, kissing his cheek. "What did you get?"
His eyes widened, and mine narrowed in response. I could tell he'd been hoping that I wouldn't ask. "Do you want the truth or one of those little lies that will make you feel better?" he asked innocently.
I rolled my eyes. "How much, Dimitri?"
His lips twitched, and his eyes sparkled. "Only kidding, Roza. I picked up some clothes for them. Is that acceptable?" he teased, stroking my cheek tenderly.
I pursed my lips, glancing back at the bags. "I guess," I reluctantly agreed. I mean, they had to have clothes, right? He was definitely making an effort.
He smiled, and he glanced at my stomach. "I can't believe it," he whispered. "Only a few more days, and I'm a father."
I put my hand over his. "I know. It's incredible, isn't it?"
Swallowing, he nodded. "Roza, what if -"
"Dimitri, we've talked about this. You'll be a fantastic father. You won't do what your dad did. And you won't hurt them because you're a Strigoi. Please stop worrying. You'll see. Once they get here, you'll never want to hurt them."
He looked pained. "But what if I don't mean to?" he whispered. "What if I accidentally... Rose, if I hurt one of them, I'd never be able to live with myself."
"You don't hurt me," I reminded him, squeezing his hand.
"I know I can't hurt you." He held my brown eyes with his red ones. "But I haven't known Z and X long enough to be absolutely certain that I can't... that I would never... " He trailed off, and I could sense his self-doubt.
"Dimitri, look at me," I whispered. He kept his gaze locked on the floor. I nudged his chin with my thumb, gently coaxing him to look up at me. "You won't hurt Z and X. I promise. You think I would let you?"
His eyes were full of doubt and hesitancy. "I know you wouldn't let me. But I would hate myself for even thinking that I wanted to hurt them."
I brushed my thumb across his cheek. "You'll be an amazing father, Dimitri. Why would I want you to help me raise them if I didn't think you would be?"
The corners of his lips turned up into a small smile. "I love you, Rose."
"I love you, too, Dimitri. You know I do." I needed him to realize this. I could sense that he was considering leaving again. He was good at convincing himself that he was a monster who didn't need to be around people. I knew he wasn't. He never had been. The only thing Dimitri had done was stick around to stay by my side and help me raise these children.
"Yes, I know," he whispered. He lowered his head and kissed my stomach reverently. "If I do ever hurt them," he breathed, anguish lacing every word, "please know that I never meant to."
"You won't hurt them, Dimitri. It'll be okay. Everything will work out."
"How?" he whispered. "I'm so dangerous, and you're so fragile."
I shrugged. "I don't know. It has to. Keep believing, and things will find a way of working themselves out."
He nodded. "You're so smart, Roza."
I chuckled. "I'm not sure about that, but whatever you say, Dimitri. Whatever you say. Hey, what's the date?" I was becoming paranoid about the date.
"It's March eighteenth," he replied, smiling with me.
"It's so soon," I sighed dreamily, snuggling into his body.
"Yes, it is." I heard the excitement in his voice. He was trying to mask it, but I knew him too well.
"Goodnight, Roza. Sweet dreams." That was the last sentence I heard before falling asleep next to the soon-to-be father of my children and the man I loved.
Yay, fluff and a little bit of angsty worry! ^_^ Review? Or I'll have to do another one of those boring author notes, and even I hate them. So as promised, my update!
Review. Seriously.
- J.C.
