DPOV (let's say Rosie was 6 months along in the last ch., so 2 ½ months later!)

... time skip! ...

Ever since I found Roza that day, and since we got into that fight, we've been trying to work on strengthening our relationship. All the pressure that's been building up just seemed to explode the day Roza was in the hospital. I hadn't heard a word from Alberta since she found out about Roza and I.

Now, Roza is eight and a half months pregnant. Roza's everything began hurting. Her ankles swelled twice their size, everything made her nauseas, the baby's been restless, according to Roza. She would wake up in the middle of the night for bathroom breaks cause the baby would kick her bladder. I would help her with her discomfort, but I could tell it was taking its toll on her. The last doctor's appointment she had, the doctor said the baby was close to six pounds.

"I'm so sore," Roza moaned. I rubbed her lower back.

"I'm sorry, milaya." I kissed her shoulder, feeling that usual spark. "If I could take your discomfort away I would." She leaned into me and sighed, rubbing her belly.

"I'm scared," she whispered shakily.

I held her close to me. "Don't be, we'll get through this." I kissed the top of Roza's head, her neck and her cheek. "I'll protect you and the baby."

UNKNOWN POV

"She's eight and a half months along."

"She is?" a deep, Scottish-accented voice said. "The baby will be here soon." A pause. "When's her due date?"

A longer pause. "The...fifth of May."

"We'll act then," the Scottish voice said.

"Why not now? We can still kill her while the baby's inside. Why wait until the brat's born?"

The Scottish Strigoi smiled bitterly. "That way Belikov can see his child and his girlfriend die seperately."

RPOV

I've been excused from all my classes until the baby's birth. Dimitri and I agreed that we'd keep the baby's gender a secret. But the closer to the due date, the more nervous and uncomfortable I became. It wasn't just because my stomach was bigger and I gained a lot of weight, it was because I knew the Strigoi would be reacting. Dimitri made sure to never leave me alone except for when I went to the bathroom.

My relationship with Dimitri has improved. We've stopped arguing and we both agreed not to have so much pressure built up on each other. We would talk, we would listen, and we would be there when the going got tough.

Dimitri explained how Alberta found out about our relationship. I remembered how olden-day Rosemarie had explained how she and her Dimitri were discovered. I didn't want that happening. I definately couldn't kill myself, besides the fact I could never muster up the courage to take my own life. I knew that there was a death sentence for any dhampirs who fell in love with one another, and I knew that Alberta was probably plotting some way to have Dimitri and I killed. She probably had some big discussion with the Moroi court. The Queen's probably thinking of all the ways to execute Dimitri and I.

Dimitri said I was overthinking the situation, that nothing would happen to us. He believed that we were safe.

I seriously hope he's right.

RPOV (Rose is 9 months preggers!)

I've been feeling mild contractions here and there. Dimitri sent me to the infirmary the first time I told him about the contractions, the doctor only said that since I was close to my due date, it was natural. But since dhampir births were supposed to not happen, she couldn't really say what would happen. Dimitri kept a close eye on everything. He made sure there was nothing unusual going on, no suspicious looking characters wandering the halls of the Academy. I appreciated everything Dimitri did.

UNKNOWN POV

The Scottish Strigoi had been observing the Academy for a while now. He knew the perfect entries, the perfect escapes. He knew where he'd hold the pregnant dhampir girl and he knew exactly how he'd kill them. And, once he was certain they were dead, he'd drink their blood until there was nothing left. Once he was done with that, he'd go to the dhampir girl's lover. The Scottish Strigoi was certain he'd make the dhampir girl's lover watch the murders. He wanted to see the look on Belikov's face when he saw his child and girlfriend die, he wanted to see Belikov's face when he drank them dry.

And, after marveling in what he'd done, he would kill Belikov.

DPOV

The other guardians were informed of my relationship with Roza. Celeste and Mikhail sided with me, they believed that dhampirs should be allowed to love who they wanted, Stan and some other guardians sided with Alberta. I didn't stop fighting for Roza and I.

"If you can't accept my relationship with Roza, then I will resign as a guardian." Kirova had called me into her office to discuss the situation. The look of shock on Kirova's face surprised me. According to her, I was the most respected and most dangerous guardian at the Academy, and to resign my position as guardian would be unfortunate. So she sided with me.

UNKNOWN POV

By the time the sun was beginning to rise, all the Strigoi had hidden in a cave not too far from the Academy. The Scottish Strigoi had sent out all of his human, Moroi, and dhampir followers to break the Academy's wards and take the pregnant dhampir. Once she was in their custody, and once she gave birth to the bastard child, everything living will die.

QUICKY A/N: HOW WAS IT? REVIEW PLEASE. AND I'M TIED ON WHETHER ROSE&DIMITRI'S BABY SHOULD BE A BOY OR A GIRL. THANKS TO THE PEOPLE WHO REVIEWED TO THAT, I APPRECIATE IT.

:) :)

YOURS TRULY,

~SMITHY