Disclaimer: Although Anastasia, is one of my favorite movies, I do not own the rights to it.

All Men Are Babies

Chapter 14: Nothing There

Anya frantically looked around hearing a raspy voice. Unable to see anything, but positive that she heard someone, Anya asked, "Hello?" There was no answer. The voice, if there even was a voice, was a faint whisper. Shaking it off and deciding it was nothing, Anya kept a watchful eye on the little gray dog as she waited for Dimitri. "Pooka!" She exclaimed in an annoyed voice at the little dog's excessive parking. "There's nothing there." However, the dog continued barking.

"Hey, what's gotten into Pooka?" Dimitri asked walking outside, while buttoning up a vest. "I could hear him all the way upstairs."

"I don't know," Anya sighed walking over to Dimitri. "He just ran outside and started barking."

"He probably just saw a squirrel or something," Dimitri commented. "Let's just go."

"Alright," Anya agreed picking the yapping dog up and walking inside the house with him. "No, Pooka," she told the dog, "you have to stay here." Dimitri grabbed his suit coat and quickly put it on. Ready to go, he kissed his wife's cheek and grasped her hand.

"Leave him," Dimitri said, "he'll be fine." With that said, Dimitri closed the door behind them. Hearing growling and scratching noises at the door, Anya started to turn around, but Dimitri stopped her by pulling her arm. "Anya we can't be late."

xXx

Zachariah Salazar cringed. The Dimitri character wasn't her body guard, but her husband. And of course not to mention, with that yapping dog, there was no way that he could ever get close enough to the princess. Besides, he couldn't go after her now, she was leaving with her husband. No, Zachariah would have to wait. Zachariah Salazar hated waiting. Although he hated waiting, he knew he would have to wait and watch for her to be alone. A time when Dimitri would not be home. Then poor Dimitri could come home to see an officer standing in his front yard saying, "I'm sorry sir, but your wife accidentally drowned at the river early this afternoon." Dimitri would be heartbroken and he, Zachariah Salazar, would finally have revenge on Anastasia that will bring him peace and happiness. Something he had not experienced for ten long years.

"Don't worry my dearest Olga, soon I shall be happy again."

xXx

"About the ball-" Dimitri couldn't help but roll his eyes, he wanted nothing more than to simply forget about it. Besides, he had other things to worry about-like what Pooka was barking at earlier. Anya's annoying little mutt hardly ever made a noise like that and it was alarming now. But putting all other thoughts and worries aside, Dimitri listened intently to what the Dowager Empress had to say.

"But Grandmama," Anya protested, "why can't I just come with Dimitri?"

"You're royalty, Darling," the Dowager Empress explained to her protesting granddaughter. "Besides, Sophie designed your dress-"

"Oh no," Anya groaned, "it'll probably take ten maids just to get me into the darn thing then!"

Chuckling at his wife's comment, Dimitri grabbed her hand under the table. "What's gotten into Pooka?" he whispered as the Dowager continued rambling about the upcoming ball.

"I don't know," Anya whispered back. "He just ran outside barking."

"Did you hear anything?"

"I thought I did, but it was just the wind-"

"What are you two whispering about?" the Empress asked the young couple aware that she didn't have their attention.

"Oh just how we can't wait for the ball," Anya lied.

"Liar, Liar, pants on fire," Dimitri hissed.

"Oh like you're one to talk."

Anya then started chatting with her grandmother, leaving him to feel excluded. As much as he hated talking about royal parties and the pathetic life he and Anya were currently living, Dimitri was grateful when they were invited someplace for dinner. It meant that he didn't have to tell Anya they were going to starve. But that what happens when he only earns a couple rubles an hour.

xXx

Disappointed, Zachariah Salazar left the household of Anya and Dimitri. He now knew where the princess lived, but unless he left a trail of bread crumbs, Zachariah doubted that he would be able to find it again on his own. However, Zachariah Salazar was not about to play Hansel and Gretel. Yes, he also hated fairy tales. He would just have to make a mental note of the landmarks and buildings of the area.

"Coffee shop, big tree, pink house, 'beware of dog' sign," were only some of the things mentioned in Zachariah's long list of mutterings. Yes, Zachariah mused. He should have no problem finding his way back. Of course he would be back. When plotting somebody's demise, one needed to know everything-especially when there was a time limit to do the job. And there was a time limit; the job had to be done while Dimitri was at work, leaving poor little Anya by her lonesome.

If he was to learn Dimitri's schedule, Zachariah knew that he would have to be more careful and not let any emotion get in his way. It was close today, a little too close for comfort when he saw the princess today. He shouldn't of let his excitement get the best of him.

xXx

"It wasn't that bad, Dimitri," Anya said as the duo appeared around the corner now in full view of Zachariah. Dimitri wrapped his arm tighter around Anya and whispered something into her ear. Anya smiled and said, "Oh come on Dimitri, you know you're the only person I'd dance with."

"Let's just get home and see what got into Pooka, okay?" Dimitri said releasing his hold on his wife.

"You don't believe me, do you?" Anya asked in a hostile manner with her hands on her hips. Dimitri opened his mouth to protest, but Anya kept talking. "Look Dimitri," she said. "I married you because I love you; not some Duke or Prince for money. You're the man I want to dance with, the only man I want to wake next to in the morning. Sorry, Dimitri, but you're stuck with me."

"Good," Dimitri smirked, "otherwise I'd have to start dressing up a girl to pretend to be Maria Nikolaevna!"

"Dimitri-" Anya scolded folding her arms over her chest.

"I'm kidding."

Well, I'm sorry for the long wait. My summer is in full swing now, which means I'm working a lot and that means I have less time for fanfiction. However, chapter 14 is now up, and chapter 15 will soon follow. As always, please review and tell me what you think of this chapter.