"Mom?" I said apprehensively as she stormed into the diner, the bell on the door jingling angrily in her wake. She approached our table, standing with her hands on her hips in front of Abe and me where we were seated.

"Janine!" Abe said, standing and plastering a huge smile on his face. "What a delightful surprise! You haven't changed a bit!"

My mother looked at Abe as though she'd willing rip his head off without a second thought. She turned and faced me, her expression angrier than I had ever seen her.

"I should have known! The questions! The sudden interest! You're behind this, aren't you?!" she growled, causing half the diner to turn and stare at us.

Abe's Guardians were up and trying to insinuate themselves between my mother and our table, and Dimitri was right behind Mom, ready to pull her back from us if that was what was required.

"Why don't we take this outside?" Abe suggested with gritted teeth, throwing some money on to our table and the one at which his Guardians had been seated. "The humans don't need to hear this," he hissed under his breath, appealing to my mother's professional side.

She gave a single nod; her jaw tensed as the six of us left the diner, walking out onto the street. As soon as we were outside, she spun to face Abe.

"What are you doing here?!"

"I wanted to see Rose," he said, giving me an encouraging smile.

There was silence for a moment - my mother was flummoxed! My eyes met Dimitri's, and he was looking confused and alarmed.

"Abe," my mother warned, her voice low and threatening, "whatever you think you're doing here, you need to leave."

"Thanks for the advice, Janine, but I'll go wherever I want," he growled, stepping closer to me. Dimitri saw his movement and mirrored it, moving defensively to put his body between Abe and me. The two men regarded one another uneasily.

"Abe Mazur," my father said, holding his hand out to my Russian God.

I could see the wheels turn in Dimitri's head. He wasn't sure what was going on, but in the end, his good manners won out.

"Guardian Dimitri Belikov," my love declared in his most formal, dispassionate voice, meeting Abe's hand with his own.

"Abe is… an old friend," my mother offered, her lips stumbling over the final words.

"Abe is my father," I rebutted, meeting my mother's eyes firmly for the first time since her arrival.

"Your father?" Dimitri gasped, his eyes almost bugging out of his head.

"There's nothing to prove that," my mother squealed in alarm.

"I'm sure a DNA test could clear things up quickly enough," Abe announced laconically, raising a lackadaisical eyebrow at my mother.

"I won't agree to it," she said smugly.

"Rose is eighteen, Janine - and I was some time ago. We don't need your permission. Not for a DNA test or to get to know one another. The cat's out of the bag. I don't know why you kept Rose's existence from me all this time, but I know, now."

My mother's face fell as the truth of his words sunk in.

"How did you find him?" my mother shrieked, turning her anger toward me again. "You have no right to force this on me!"

"Leave her alone," Abe growled furiously, causing even my enraged mother to pause. "I found her! I met one of her classmates in Russia. They were telling me how the Academy had been attacked and how a Novice, Rosemarie Hathaway, got molnija being part of the defense. I recognized the surname and then did the math. I didn't think she'd be mine, but I did a little digging out of curiosity. As soon as I saw a photo of her I knew. Which is why I am here. She is mine, isn't she?"

Abe must have been paying attention to come up with such a believable lie on the spot. If I didn't know better - that I had tracked him down - I would have believed his assertion that that was the way it had happened.

My mother flicked her head dismissively, refusing to answer his question.

"Janine," he said in a low, threatening voice. "I will know one way or another. I always do. I'll ask you again – is Rosemarie my daughter?"

"Yes," my mother shouted, throwing her hands up in defeat. "And you're welcome to her!"

Abe's eyes widened, while my own dropped to the ground.

"I never wanted this. I never wanted to be a mother! It's alright for you. You got to live your life in blissful ignorance, but for me, that night changed everything!" she continued. "I was left holding the baby."

"No," Abe said forcefully, pointing his finger at her in anger. "You don't get to blame me for not being part of something I didn't know about."

I couldn't believe my parents were screaming at each other in the middle of the sidewalk. It was humiliating.

"Can you two just stop?" I begged. "Maybe we could go back to the hotel and talk privately?" I suggested, gesturing to the passersby who had stopped to stare at our group.

"No!" my mother shouted. "I'm done! I never wanted this, and I never wanted you! I wish I'd never had you! I'm going back to the property, and I don't care where you go." She turned and walked to the SUV packed with groceries, taking off with a squeal of tires.

That's when the tears I'd been trying to hold back started flowing down my cheeks. Abe turned and was about to open his arms to me, but Dimitri got there first, pulling me into his embrace and holding me as I sobbed. One huge hand stroked my hair, the other holding me firmly against him, giving me his love and strength. No one had ever been able to hurt me as badly as my mother, and this was the worst time yet.

The five of us stood in silence, and then Eddie and Meredith were walking towards our group from the cinema.

"Everything ok?" Eddie asked Dimitri, eyeing Abe and his Guardians warily.

"Rose and Guardian Hathaway have had a disagreement," Dimitri said diplomatically, ever the master of understatement. "How about we go check into the hotel? I think Rose could use an hour or two to calm down."

Meredith nodded, and Dimitri pulled the keys to the SUV out of his duster, opening the car remotely and giving Meredith and Eddie a look to get into the vehicle.

"Mr. Mazur, we'll be staying at America's Best Value Inn on East Fifth Street," Dimitri continued, his arms still protectively wrapped around me. "The rooms will be under my name, and we'll be there until 10 am tomorrow."

Abe was nodding with understanding and gave me a small smile as I peeked out from Dimitri's chest.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't think she'd see us together."

"You have nothing to apologize for. Guardian Belikov is right. Why don't you get settled into your hotel - I can come by in a couple of hours, and we can talk more if you'd like?" he offered.

"Ok," I said giving him a shy look.

Before I knew it, Dimitri had me bundled into the back of the car next to Meredith, and we were on our way to the hotel.

"Sorry guys," I said in the car as Dimitri drove in silence, a vein in his forehead throbbing with agitation. "That Moroi guy is my father, and Mom flipped out when she saw us together."

"Your father?" Eddie gasped, swinging around in the passenger seat to look at me.

"Yep."

"That's big," Meredith said, grasping my hand and stroking it soothingly.

"He's going to come to the hotel later so we can talk," I explained. "I have so many questions."

"I'd like to be there when you speak with him," Dimitri said suddenly, looking ill at ease. "I know he's your father, but by your own admission, you don't know anything about him."

I shrugged. I was too tired to fight Dimitri on this.

"Eddie? How about you and I share a room tonight? That will give Rose and Guardian Belikov privacy to meet with Rose's Dad," Meredith thoughtfully suggested.

"Works for me. I just want to order pizza and watch TV anyway," Eddie agreed as we pulled into the hotel's forecourt.

I thought for sure Dimitri would disagree, but he said nothing as he left the engine idling, stepping into the office to check us in. He was gone ages, so while he was gone, I cut to the chase.

"Meredith knows about Dimitri and me, too," I said wearily to Eddie. "She guessed."

"That's a relief! I thought you were a bit too keen to share a room with me," he joked amiably with Meredith.

We all shut up as Dimitri came back to the vehicle.

"Thanks for offering to share a room tonight," he said formally to Eddie and Meredith. "Given the circumstances, I think it's sensible I'm there when Rose speaks with her father."

Dimitri brought the car around into the court, parking outside room fifteen.

"You two are in fifteen. Rose, you and I are upstairs in twenty-six," he announced, grabbing my bag and his from the trunk, locking the vehicle when Eddie and Meredith had done likewise. He handed Meredith their room key and then muttered, "Come on, Rose."

I followed him up the stairs and into our room. While it also had two beds, it was much nicer than the double I'd stayed in with Meredith and Mom. Dimitri put our bags down and turned to face me.

"I'll tell you all in a little while," I promised, still feeling teary. "Right now can you just hold me?" I pleaded.

We must have fallen asleep because I woke to find myself curled up in Dimitri's strong arms. His breath was on the back of my neck as we lay spooned in the middle of one of the beds.

Even though I had cried myself to sleep, I was happy to be waking in my love's embrace. I turned in his arms, looking up at his beautiful face.

"How are you feeling, Roza?" he asked, woken by my movement.

"Hmm… better now," I said, leaning up and kissing the underside of his jaw.

He brought his lips to mine and together we shared a soft, delicate kiss.

"We've been asleep a couple of hours. Your father will be here, soon. Before he arrives, I'd like you to tell me everything," he said raising an eyebrow at me. He knew there was more to the story than I'd let on.

"I called him," I admitted. "That's why I broke into the main house. I applied for a copy of my birth certificate from Court, but he wasn't listed on it. I tried to get a copy of the original registration of birth forms, but I can't because I'm not a signatory. So I broke into the Alchemists' to see if they had a copy, and they did. Mom had named him on the application. I looked up Abe on the Alchemists' computer system, and there was a phone number for him. I thought about it for a few days, and then I rang him. We talked and then he came to meet me."

Dimitri was stunned.

"That's why you broke into the house?" he mumbled, muttering a few choice words in Russian.

"I needed to know, Dimitri! You've seen Mom! She won't tell me anything. You heard her - she doesn't want anything to do with me. She didn't want me then, and she doesn't want me now. You're not too angry?"

He didn't say anything, just pulled me to him again, shaking his head.

"So what has your father told you about himself? What does he do for a living?"

"He's a business man. He said he works mostly in Europe but also a bit in the States."

"What does he do?" he asked knowingly.

"I'm not sure. I'll ask when he comes over," I said defensively, not liking Dimitri's tone.

"Rose? I know you're excited about meeting your father, but maybe try and approach this cautiously? You don't know him. I'm not saying don't get to know him, but maybe hold back a little? Just until you get a sense of who he is?"

"You're just as bad as Mom," I snapped, pulling back from him. "I know I don't know him and I'm not an idiot – I will hold back a bit. But so far he's been a lot more interested in me than my mother has ever been. He knows about me for a fortnight, and he's flown half way across the world to meet me! Sorry if I'm just a little bit excited that one of my parents has some sort of interest in me!" I growled, rolling off the bed.

"Roza?" Dimitri said beseechingly. "Don't be angry. I just don't want to see you hurt…"

"I know, I know," I grumbled. "I can't help but be excited. It's different for you. I know your Dad was an asshole, but you've always had your Mom. I've finally got a parent who seems to want to get to know me, at least a little bit. Don't ruin that for me."

I brushed past him and grabbed my bag.

"I'm going to have a shower."

I closed the bathroom door, turning on the taps in the shower and getting undressed. Standing under the warm water, I closed my eyes, replaying my mother's words in my head.

I'd known for a long time I was unwanted. Yeah, it hurt to hear her say it, but there were no surprises there. Not really. I had been surprised when Abe lied for me – trying to preserve the almost non-existent relationship I had with my mother. It was an unexpected kindness. After all – two weeks ago he didn't even know I existed.

I took my time in the shower, my mind wandering to my father but then Dimitri. We had a night alone together in a hotel room. Our interrupted intimacy at the property had only held me over for so long. I was yearning for a night of passion and love with my man, and despite his words of abstinence and waiting until I graduated, I knew he was feeling the same way.

Turning off the water, I stepped out onto the bathmat, digging in my bag to find my moisturizer, I was applying the creme to my legs when I heard a knock at the hotel room's door, and then my father's voice.

"Belikov," he greeted tightly. "The Novices downstairs said Rose was staying in this room? Where is she?"

"She's in the shower. Come in," my Russian God intoned. Abe might not be able to hear it, but my man was nervous. "Can I get you a tea or coffee while you're waiting?"

"No, thank you. So, Belikov? How long have you and my daughter been sleeping together?"

"I don't know what you mean," Dimitri denied instantly.

"Son? Don't bullshit a bullshitter. You were ready to rip my head off if I upset her, and the second she burst into tears you had her in your arms, and I could tell she wanted to be there. Those are the actions of a couple in love," Abe declared with confidence.

I could hear Dimitri's sigh.

"I might be new on the scene, but I'm still her father," Abe said in a decidedly threatening tone.

"I do love her," Dimitri admitted, "and she loves me. But we can't do anything about it until she graduates. Officially, I'm her mentor, and she's still a student. As much as I want to declare to the world that I'm her man, we have to wait."

"Well I'm going to give you a suggestion, here - sharing a hotel room together might give the game away," Abe said with a sarcastic chuckle.

"I know," Dimitri snapped. "But she's upset, and I thought it prudent to be here when you talked…" my love explained.

I'd now given up any pretense of moisturizing, and was standing behind the door eavesdropping shamelessly!

"So you're Russian. I assume you know who I am?"

"Zmey," Dimitri said, with what sounded like reluctance.

"Have you told her?" Abe demanded.

"No. But you should."

"How?" It was Abe's voice, but his tone had changed. He sounded perplexed. "She'll run a mile!"

"Mr. Mazur, Rose is one of the most caring people I've ever met. She'll forgive those she loves just about anything. My advice is to be open and honest with her. Let her get to know the real you. She deserves that. You've seen how things are between her and her mother. If you want to be involved in her life, don't lie to her."

"I do want to get to know her," Abe agreed, sounding nervous.

"Then be yourself. She wants to accept you, and for you to accept her."

I could tell when Dimitri said 'accept her' he really meant 'accept us.'

"It doesn't bother me," Abe declared suddenly. "You and her. I've only known about my daughter a couple of weeks, but I want her to be happy. As long as she's happy and you treat her how she deserves to be treated, I have no problem with the two of you. Of course, if you don't treat her right, or make her unhappy, it's going to be a different story," he said menacingly. "So keep a smile on her face…"

Dimitri said something, but it was too soft to catch through the door. Deciding I'd heard enough, I threw on some clothes, swept my hair up into a messy bun and opened up the door.

"Dimitri! You should have told me Abe was here," I said, walking across to my father. "I hope you haven't been waiting long. I'm sorry again about before. It's all been a bit of a shock."

"That's fine. I've just been getting to know your young man, here," he said with only slightly forced joviality. "Why don't you tell me how you and he got together," he suggested, just putting it right out there.

Knowing he already knew, I mumbled "It didn't take you long to pick that," pulling over one of the two armchairs, offering Abe a seat while Dimitri took the other. I sat on the end of one of the beds, Abe on one side, Dimitri on the other. I grabbed my love's huge hand; then I told my father the sanitized version of our love story. I left out the more prurient aspects, but I was as honest as I could be without revealing anything too damning.

I watched Dimitri as I told our tale, and while he kept his face impassive, with my lover's eyes, I could see he was nervous.

"Between the breaking into an Alchemist's facility and falling in love with your teacher, I think it's safe to say you take after me more than your mother," Abe said with a wicked grin. No, I didn't imagine it – he looked proud.

Dimitri rolled his eyes at me indulgently.

"You're not upset? About Dimitri and me?" I asked.

"It's not my place to interfere in your life, Rose. Besides, Belikov knows who I am. He's not going to hurt you."

"Knows who you are?"

It was Abe's turn to look nervous.

"Rose, I need to tell you a bit more about myself. And in particular my line of work…"