Dimitri's Point of View

I was visiting my family with Tasha since its almost been a year since I had last seen them and Tasha asked if she could invite Christian and his family to visit them with us almost immediately after we arrived. As Tasha was on the phone with Christian my thoughts wondered to Roza. Oh god Roza. I wonder how she is. Does she have any kids? Was she married? Just the thought of someone else being with her instead of me made my heart swell. Stop it Belikov. You left her remember. You haven't even bothered to contact her for the last 17 years. She's not yours anymore. As Tasha reentered the room, she informed me that Christian and the others, excluding Carter's brother, were going to be here tomorrow and Christian has said that they had a surprise for us.

I woke up the next morning and got ready and went down for breakfast. I talked with my family as we waited for Christian and Lisa to get here. Hours had pasted and a couple of SUVs stopped in front of the house and Christian, Lisa, and Carter exited the SUVs. Along with who seemed like Abe and… Oh my god. It can't be. My eyes widened. It was Rose. It was Roza! Why is she here? How does she know Abe? All of these questions circled my head.

As Christian and Lisa walked towards us to greet us my eyes focused on Roza. She doesn't even look any different even after these 17 years. I looked at her and tried to memorize her while she was talking to Abe. As she finished talking to Abe, they started heading our way, because Lisa called for her with the Russian nickname I gave her. As they reached the door I couldn't help but say her name so I did. "Roza?" I called her but it came out more like a question.

"Yes? How do you know my name?" she asked me.

"What? You don't remember me?" I asked her. How can she not remember who I was, and as if Lisa read my mind she went right to the introductions.

"Guardian Belikov, everyone, I would like to introduce you to Rozalia Hathaway," she stated. What? Hathaway? Was she Rose's daughter? If so, where was Rose?

"Hathaway, as in Rose Hathaway," mama stated but it sounded more like a question.

"Yes, nice to meet you but how do you know my mother," she asked. God, she sounded so much like Roza.

"Well, my son has told me a lot about her when she was his student but they haven't kept in contact after he left and became Natasha's Guardian," she told her.

"Oh, I see thank you for telling me," she thanked mama. She's so much more polite than Rose.

"Oh my God, you look just like Rose did when she was 17," Tasha stated the obvious.

"I know Aunt Tasha that's what we thought for the first time, actually yesterday was the first time we met her," Christian informed Tasha.

"Well, we're glad we just found her, it took us 16 long years to find her and we finally did," Lisa told Tasha.

"Well lets all go inside I'm sure you're all hungry by now after that long flight," mama lead us all inside.

After lunch and all the introductions done Tasha asked the question I've been dying to ask her.

"So Rozalia why isn't your mother here with you," asked Tasha.

We all then turned to Rozalia; she looked like she just had her hopes shattered, like how I shattered Rose's.

"Um.. My mother's not here with me because.. She's dead," she replied in a small voice looking down at her knees.

"What" That came from me. How can Roza be dead!

"She's dead. She has been for the last 16 years," she told us while she slowly looked up. Her eyes widen at all of our expressions but the only thought on my mind was how? How can she be dead? I didn't even get to see her for the last time. How was she feeling? Did she still love me even at her last breath? Did she hate me for leaving her after that night at the cabin on her birthday? We were all silent for a while but Tasha broke it.

"Well why don't we all head to bed I'm sure everyone's tired from the trip," she said almost as if she was happy that Rose was dead.

Well after what we all just heard everyone agreed and that's when Abe spoke up.

"Well we best be going Ro, Janine's waiting for us to get back since we stayed longer than expected," he said.

No, she can't go; she's the only thing left linking me to Roza. Even if she might be some one else's daughter she's also Rose's daughter and I can't lose her like I did Rose. So I made a suggestion.

"Well she can stay here, I'm sure we have an extra bedroom here somewhere right mama," I asked.

"Of course since Sonya and Karolina got married and moved out they'll be returning to their houses and Victoria is staying at Nikolai's, we have enough room for everyone," mama told everyone.

"That's alright Olena. Janine is waiting for us at Mark and Oskana's house, and its been a while since Janine has seen her, she would have my head if I didn't bring here with me," Abe joked but I'm sure what he was saying was true about Janine having his head especially since she was Roza's mother.

"Well alright then we'll see everyone in the morning but Abe before you go I must insist that you, Janine and Rozalia have breakfast with us in the morning," mama smiled.

"Alright we'll be here around 9 in the morning, now that that's settled shall we go Ro," he asked Rozalia.

"Yeah okay Grandpa, bye everybody see you in the morning," she said her goodbyes.

After they left we all went to our rooms. I went back to my old room and much to Tasha's protest before about us sharing a room she ended up in Sonya's old room after a long argument. I decided that I would use tomorrow to try and ask Rozalia as much questions as I can about Roza before she died, and if she had heard anything about her from some of Roza's friends that helped her throughout the first year of Rozalia's life with her. As I drifted off to a much need sleep I found Roza in my dreams where she will always be.