Vampire Academy: 17 Years Later

by DramaticField

17 years after Bloodlines ended, we're left with Rose and Dimitri's son, Maverick, and Sydney and Adrian's daughter, Grace, trying to find their place in the world. Will they end up following in their parent's rather large footprints, or will they be overcome by the weight of greatness with a touch of romance? Likewise what new turmoil is our favourite original characters facing?

1. Chapter 1

Gracerick Chapter One

Grace had left hours ago to go to the mall with her friends and Sydney had been trying to find the nerve to have a difficult conversation with her husband before her daughter returned home, but time was running out. Finally, after checking the clock for the umpteenth time, Sydney took a deep breath and found Adrian on the back patio mid-day under a cover of clouds that threatened a downpour any minute, looking through a craft supplies magazine. She lingered in the ajar door for a moment admiring her husband's dark hair and focused eyes on the paper below. He was so incredibly good looking, a wonderful father, and an attentive husband. She knew she had the whole package with him – except that package was starting to strain.

She saw the frailness in his eyes – the unhinged sign that he was slipping from the humored, grounded husband she knew and loved and falling back into the familiar pit of despair and instability. He wasn't sleeping well, their physical intimacy was sporadic and infrequent, he was much more easily bothered by trivial things, and last night he hadn't even come to bed. It happened scarcely since they had gotten married and they were usually able to get him back on track without making a scene – Grace hadn't even noticed anything off with her father, thankfully, and she had never ever seen him as anything but a well put together man who took care of his family. Seeing the troubled look in his eyes the past few weeks, however, Sydney grew worried that their stroke of luck was starting to crumble. She had tried to sweep it under the rug and blame it on her being overly attentive to his mental state due to her own fears that his past could rear its ugly head at any time, but she couldn't ignore, deny, or wish away the signs any longer. She had hoped this time he would recognize the signs himself and could, therefore, manage his demons but it was growing increasingly clear that he was starting a free fall and wasn't up to the task or effort it required to catch himself. She had to say something.

Finally, she stepped over the threshold and onto the back patio and went over, sitting across from him in a large, metal chair with puffy red cushions that withstood the ailments of the outdoors. "Anything catch your eye?" She asked, getting his attention as she nodded down toward the magazine in his hands. She hoped this conversation went better than she predicted it would – and that he wouldn't accuse her of over-reacting, but she had Grace to think of now and she needed the dad she idolized by her side during her teenage years – especially whilst trying to navigate between the human and moroi world as she had been over the past year. Likewise, Sydney needed her foolish, fun-loving husband back and it pained her to consider the possibility of him going through this again. Well, better to just jump right in.

"I need to talk to you before Grace gets home." This couldn't be shocking – he had to of realized there was something off but knowing and facing were two different things when it came to Adrian acknowledging his mental health. "You're not yourself. What's going on, Adrian? Talk to me."

Heavy darkening grey clouds began to roll over head, as if magnifying the moroi's own internal thunderstorm approaching rapidly inside his mind for the past several weeks. Although the signs were slowly becoming clear to Adrian, he thought he was stronger, more capable of handling these changes, now that he was older...sober...and a little wiser than the boy of his youth had been. But lately, the shift in moods and withdrawal from making the decision to stop his mood stabilizing medication was causing a lot of inner turmoil. So much so, that he was desperately hoping that Sydney and even more so, Grace, would not notice any abnormal behavior. All the research he had done online said it could take a few weeks to a month before symptoms eased.

It had started off so innocent, though doesn't every ill thought out idea? After years and years of constantly popping pills, once in awhile, Adrian would forget to take one in the morning, and everything appeared to be business as usual. After awhile, he would purposely forget to take them, wondering if he could experience a life without drugs and instead, regain the gift of spirit. Oh spirit! How that had been almost a drug in and of itself. Maybe this was just some sort of mid life crisis occurring, as he pondered on his once carefree days of partying, drinking, and sleeping with loose women. Now he had a teenage daughter who was bound to start asking tougher questions in regard to her roots and bloodline, as she too wrestled with her identity. She knew enough about the vampire world thanks to Adrian's need for blood, Daniella's permanent residence at court, and their close friendship with Rose, Dimitri, and their son, Maverick, for it to concern Adrian moving forward. Thus far, they had kept her strictly in the human world minus a couple of short visits to court over the holidays, but Grace's fascination was growing.

Nearly twenty minutes had passed, yet Adrian still sat hunched over, grimacing down at a headline which read, Paint Your Way to Success! This magazine was last months edition, and he still had the corner of page nine crinkled over to mark his spot. Guess I'll never know the secret to success, he thought to himself. Suddenly, the door to the patio squeaked open, as the soft-spoken voice of Sydney drifted somewhere nearby, yet Adrian felt miles away.

When she spoke, there it was, proof that others were noticing. Of course she would, she's smart and clever and watches me like a hawk, he thought idly. "What do you mean?" His eyes still stared down at page nine because anything would be better than witnesses whatever face of disappointment Sydney might give if she knew the truth.

She was positive that if she noticed a shift in his behavior then that meant he most certainly could feel it. Her wishful attitude for this conversation to go well quickly shattered. He wouldn't meet her eyes which told her everything she needed to know - he was avoiding dealing with the imminently dangerous cliff he was dangling off of. And he knew it.

Sydney frowned and ran a hand through her blonde hair as the wind brushed it out of place. "What do I mean? Come on, Adrian. You're sleeping in late, moody and irritable, distant, you didn't even come to bed last night, and Grace asked you twice last week to help with her art project but you worked late - by choice, almost every night." She took a brief glimpse around to be sure any noisy neighbors that may be around were out of earshot before her voice softened further.
"Not to mention our... lack of physical or even emotional intimacy lately. Do you think I don't notice when something's bothering you?" She didn't mean it as an ambush and she prayed he didn't take it as such but she knew whatever was going on would make his mood unpredictable so she had her guard up for whatever reaction came. "Just talk to me - tell me I'm not going crazy over-analyzing things. I'm your wife and we're a team. I want to help but to do that you have to let me in."

Adrian could feel the lump in his throat growing twice in size as his analytical wife began to rattle off her most recent observations. Why did she have to care so much? He questioned stupidly. Why couldn't she remain oblivious long enough for him to figure things out on his own? And why out of all the proof listed did a burning anger bubble underneath the surface, as the concerned blonde mentioned in a shyer tone their lack of sexual endeavors? The truth was, he desperately desired to be close to her like the days of their past. Unfortunately, something always came up, placing intimacy on the back burner.

This last year hit him hard as he inched closer to reaching his 40th Birthday. He missed the rebellious decade of his 20s. He longed to have Grace as a toddler where he could still have a say in what she wore and where she went. Life seemed so unpredictable; and yet, at the same time, life also had become very routine and ordinary. Perhaps he needed a change of pace, a new challenge. It wasn't just the idea of getting older and feeling stuck though. Even the most trivial tasks felt burdensome. He couldn't focus at work or stay awake long enough to help Grace with her self portrait art project, or even hold a meaningful conversation with the love of his life. Reality was an awful place to be right now.

"Clearly you're not the crazy one out of the two of us." The words came out partly sounding sarcastic and teasing, yet they were laced with a bitter attitude. "I'm going to help Grace with her assignment tonight. I just need to pick up a few supplies from the studio." Adrian rolled up the magazine and pushed out the lawn chair to stand up. Regardless of upcoming age, Adrian still carried himself well. Most people, especially the girlfriends Grace hung out with, seemed to think her dad was quite enduring and could totally pass for early thirties. If not for the shadows under his intoxicating green eyes and looking a bit thinner than usual, no one in their right mind would think he was the father of a 16-year-old daughter.
"There's really nothing to worry about, okay? I'm just a little stressed. I... I missed a few days of taking the anti depressants, so that's probably been throwing me off this week." He decided to put a bit of a spin on the actual story. Not fully the truth but definitely not a complete lie. "I'm going to go grab what I need at work before this storm hits."

Maybe Sydney was overreacting, but her gut told her differently – something wasn't right. Unfortunately, if Adrian wasn't ready to talk, she knew she wasn't going to get much out of him. All she could do was play the supportive wife card. A nagging question slipped through her conscious, though. Was he getting bored with her? It was a silly, insecure thought, but it was there, especially since their intimate life had never been as scarce – no, non-existent, as it had been the last few weeks and he had just strategically talked around and ignored her concerns about it. After all, as a moroi, he aged better than a human did. Although she was only in her mid-thirties, she noticed the small lines crinkling by the side of her eyes despite her excessive use of anti-aging products since her mid-twenties to avoid this, her hair wasn't as golden blonde as it used to be as though it was growing duller with age, and although her frame was still petite she knew her tummy was starting to sag a little where her c-section scar from Grace sat on her lower abdomen.

All those things aside, she suddenly remembered dinner a couple of weeks ago at their favorite local restaurant. Adrian had been acting weird then, too, gazing a little longer than normal at the drink menu that was sat on the table and looking somewhat curiously at the group of young twenty-year-old's sat at a nearby table. At the time, she thought he was just looking because they were laughing loudly and having fun, but now she wondered if there was more to it. Did he miss having fun? Parenthood was growing increasingly difficult lately with Grace in her teens and questioning her place in the world – and spontaneity was lacking, but that was what being an adult meant, right? In the past when things got too monotonous, Adrian always thought of something fun and out of the box to spice things up like family paint night or a weekend family get-away. He hadn't done that lately. Not to put the entire blame on him because she hadn't, either, but he was always the creative one when it came to fun things to do and he had more time to plan those kind of things than she did considering she usually worked longer days and she currently had multiple major architectural developments to assist with around the city that took up a lot of her time. The farther she went down the rabbit hole of observations, the more ambivalent she felt.

But right now, he wasn't addressing her concerns. Not really. She desperately wanted to believe him – that it was nothing, but if he only missed a few pills this week then she wouldn't have been noticing signs going back further. She knew by his tone, too, that something bigger was afloat here. But they were at an impasse and she wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't being entirely truthful, yet he had no reason to lie. They had faced this before - but much more subtly, when Grace was younger and after a quick medication adjustment, he had been back to the fun-loving husband and father she knew and loved in a matter of weeks. This time felt different, but she knew she was taking too long to think and she didn't want him to leave with the conversation unresolved so she took a deep breath, trying to make sense of this without coming off as too pushy or needy. This wasn't about her feelings – it was about his.

"It's Saturday - Grace is staying at Kelsey's house tonight for a sleepover, remember?" She got up from where she sat, following his lead, and walked over beside him, reaching out to take his hand, hoping he wouldn't recoil from her. The crackling of the sky above was creating an unappreciated, ominous atmosphere. "We have the house to ourselves tonight," she said tauntingly, unfairly using her sex appeal to really try and exploit the problem here. Before he could answer her – fearing he would reject the idea more than she would like to admit, she pushed on. "It's my job to worry. I worry about you, about Grace, about work, about keeping the house in order, and a million other things daily. Only now I have a reason to worry because all the signs are there, and they have been for a while. Maybe missing a few days of the medication this week hasn't helped, but I think… maybe we should revisit adjusting the dosage."

He hated the thought of adjusting his meds the last time and she didn't expect any other reaction out of him now, but she hoped (wishfully) that he proved her wrong and saw the problem here without an argument or him shutting her out completely. The last adjustment had made him sick, tired, and extremely irritable until the side effects wore off – but it worked. Thankfully, Grace had been much younger and easier to keep in the dark then. She knew she was rambling, but she pushed on, trying to get him to acknowledge the situation facing them. "Maybe if you're up for going back to the doctor to talk, I can go with you, and maybe… well maybe Grace should go stay with your mom until everything gets back to normal." If mentioning the medication adjustment didn't deter him, Grace being shipped off certainly would – but if what her gut was telling her was right, Grace shouldn't be here for the aftermath that resulted from this conversation.

Thunder echoed somewhere far off in the distance; and although it was still several miles from reaching their suburban neighborhood, a different kind of storm was already brewing right before them. Adrian shifted awkwardly from side to side, feeling uncertain how best to flee from this uncomfortable conversation without completely rejecting the woman who was slowly inching closer to the place where he stood. As his wife reminded her more recently forgetful husband of their daughter's evening plans, disappointment washed over the already somber situation.

For years, Grace had become Adrian's anchor of hope; the light which kept him from slipping back into a world of insanity. When Grace was a child, their family was constantly living in fear, unable to settle in any place for longer than a year. They were able to live in peace ever since with the deal Sydney struck with the alchemists; however, they were always on high-alert. As they aged, it grew less and less, but when Grace was a baby, they moved a lot when they began to feel unhinged by weird activity in the area, always worried that the alchemists would go back on their word. After so many years, both Ivashkov's were pretty certain that they truly were safe, which was another reason he picked now to try and come off his meds. It hadn't truly felt safe until now. If the Alchemists were going to go back on their word, they certainly would have done so within the past 16 years - but they hadn't and it seemed they really were free.

In another sense, Grace's existence allowed for Adrian to live vicariously through the eyes of his daughter. From the moment she was born, everything began to change for the better. There was no way he could expose this tiny infant to the man he once was. The decision to give up entirely on his vices: smoking and drinking, even yielding spirit, brought him down a path of seeking the advice of half a dozen psychiatrists before developing an appropriate treatment plan of action. It was truly the only way that would allow him to be the husband Sydney deserved, the father Grace needed, and a man capable of protecting his family even after the leaps and bounds he had made since initially meeting Sydney. So, when life grew harder, an increase in medication was prescribed. But every time the dosage changed, bitterness and resentment flooded the moroi's heart. Not because his family wasn't worth it but because he felt as though the pills took away a part of who he was. Sydney would often tell him, "The medication does not define you..." which sounded sweet in the moment, but it was only a matter of time before another boost would be needed.

To put it bluntly, Grace had become his crutch, his distraction. He idolized his daughter more than he cared to admit. And with the news of her being out of the house tonight, Adrian wondered if he should make himself scarce. Sydney was his world, the glue which held this family of three together for so long; and as the blonde closed the distance between them, his body ached for her familiar warmth. However, the thought of letting his guard down seemed more frightening than the possibility of hurting her feelings by turning away the offer of intimacy. The couple's sex life may recently be lacking but when they did engage, emotions were always high, as the two became one body. Sydney had a way, whether she believed it or not, of shattering every defense her husband attempted to put up. And he just wasn't ready to reveal the truth of how badly he had messed up to her just yet. Not before he had a chance to fix it - or more fittingly, figured out how to live with it.

Adrian's heart sank as Sydney suggested another visit to the doctor and even worse, shipping Grace off to stay at his mom's. Could this night possibly get any worse? He thought to himself. Dropping the rolled-up magazine on the patio table, Adrian slid both hands through his hair, gripping the longer strands in the back and letting out a heavy sigh. He didn't want to get angry with her, that had never been his style, but the pressure behind his temples was building. She wasn't his enemy but right now he felt as though she wasn't being his friend either. "That's just the solution to everything then, isn't it? Adrian acts up, so lets send him back to the doctors for another adjustment." He absolutely hated feeling like the one burdening their marriage. "Every couple years like clock work, huh Sage?" A nickname he had not used in quite sometime. "I'm not going back to the doctors. There's nothing wrong with the dosage I'm on right now. Just..." He attempted to take a quick breath, catching himself from raising his voice at her. "Just give me one week, one week to prove that I'm okay. Please!" From tones of anger to sheer panic at the thought of going back to his psychiatrist, Adrian took hold of his wife's hand. "Please don't make any plans for Grace just yet. I'll get it together, I promise. I don't want her to go to Court. Isn't that what we've been trying to avoid?"

Sydney had prepared herself for his reaction, so his burst of anger didn't necessarily surprise her. She didn't like seeing him upset, but her reasons here were pure – for the best and she wasn't about to back down. She felt guilty being the voice of reason that he quite clearly didn't want to hear, let alone listen to, but she had to stick to her guns and she knew if he really did need a medication adjustment then his mood would be less pragmatic and more unpredictable and that had nothing to do with her, despite her insecurities. She was about to protest when his tone shifted to a vaguely familiar desperation. She hadn't heard the sheer panic in his voice for a long time and she didn't like hearing it now – it scared her more than she was inclined to admit to. He was slipping – quickly. When he grasped her hand, she squeezed it tightly, lowering what was moments ago about to be a tough-love retort to a softer tone that she would use with a child. She wasn't trying to baby him, but she could feel the unhinged darkness of spirit attempting to emerge and she needed to do something to calm him.

One week would be fine, right? After all, he knew her concerns now and that she wasn't about to simply drop it. Maybe that was enough for him to wrestle for control – but if it was a decrease in the effectiveness of the medication, she wasn't sure much would actually change in a week. Still, she didn't want to push him too far and she owed him the opportunity to try. Adrian was nothing if not strong, brave and capable in her eyes if he really put his mind to something. A wishful part of her hoped it was the right call, but the scared part was apprehensive.

"Adrian," Sydney said levelly, looking into his stormy eyes. "Okay. One week, alright? Next weekend… if this week doesn't go well, Grace needs to go stay with your mom, though, for the rest of the summer and you need to go see the doctor again. I don't like it anymore than you do, but you know how… intense spirit can get and if that's what we're dealing with, she can't be around for it. Deal?" Adrian was teaching art classes at a nearby college over the summer, but had a full-time job in the high school during the school-year. It was only the beginning of August, but Sydney had a feeling the rest of the month would feel long.

Just then, the front door opened, and Sydney knew her opportunity for confrontation passed when she heard Grace come home to pack for her sleepover. "Why don't you go get the art supplies and help Grace tomorrow afternoon? The project's due Tuesday so she's only got tomorrow and Monday evening to finish it." Grace was also taking a more advanced art class over the summer, since she seemed to inherit Adrian's artistic ability and Sydney wanted to keep their daughter engaged in some kind of activity over the hotter months. Another thought came to her mind, then. Maybe what her and Adrian needed was a night with just the two of them – with this conversation forgotten for the evening. It didn't even need to involve sex, she just really wanted to feel close to him again.

"How about when you get back, I'll cook us a nice dinner and we can relax for the evening? No more talk about this – just… spend some quality time together. Watch TV in bed or start the fireplace in the living room, curl up with a blanket and listen to the rain? Maybe a glass of wine?" Adrian wasn't supposed to drink excessively on his medication, but with spirit tucked away whilst taking the pills he could indulge in one glass of wine with dinner or during a romantic moment. The pills allowed him to do so without feeling the addictive tendencies of spirit and they also managed to keep him at just one glass since if he drank anymore the medication wouldn't mix well. It had been trial and error over the years, but they made it work.

Adrian nodded, wanting to put this conversation to bed as he struggled to wrangle his negative emotions. He felt like he was suffocating. Hearing Grace get home was the distraction he needed to get out of the house for a while. Maybe a drive to the studio was exactly what he needed. "Sounds good," he said brusquely, before stepping past his wife and through the house, out the front door, keys in hand.

Grace was rummaging around her bedroom and looked out the window, seeing her parents out back, stances tense. She quirked a brow before she heard Kelsey honk her mom's horn. She threw some things in a bag and grabbed her phone charger to be sure if Maverick, Rose and Dimitri's son, was able to get a minute to call her later, she would be ready. Ever since their impromptu kiss Christmas when she was at court last, she couldn't stop thinking about the muscular dhampir with kind eyes and a quirky sense of humor that matched hers. Thankfully her parents didn't monitor her phone usage much – she had actually tested their prying ability a couple months back when her and Maverick really started to feel serious and got her friend to text her saying she may be pregnant. If that hadn't evoked a parental response – which it hadn't, then they must trust her enough not to hover over her phone records which meant her and Maverick's secret was safe for now. Her friend's must be sick of her talking about him by now, though – despite them wanting details on every new development in their relationship (which she altered slightly to be human-friendly) since she was the only one with a boyfriend even though they technically hadn't confirmed a title yet. Maverick made her feel things she wasn't ready to tell her mom about yet – mainly in fear of her dad finding out. She hadn't even told her friends his name, just in case they mentioned it around her parents, but they were all curious about the mysterious private-schooled boy Grace was falling in love with.

Unfortunately, he had been spending the summer with his family in Russia and she was in Idaho - which wouldn't be a problem if he was still on the vampiric schedule, but by the time she got up in the morning, he was going to bed because of the time difference. It was pretty much the same as him being nearby, at court, on the vampiric system because their schedule's were pretty opposite. Any time she managed to get him for even an hour, texting back and forth, or the occasional phone call when they were out of range of their parents, was greatly anticipated. She may get him tonight, just before she went to bed, if she stayed up late enough especially since she wouldn't have her parents to worry about, Kelsey's parents didn't hover, and her friend was a pretty heavy sleeper.

"Dimitri?" Olena poked her head into the kitchen and saw him buttering a slice of his favorite homemade bread that she had taught Rose to make their last trip here – though the fiery brunette claimed it was nowhere near as good as Olena's. She had told her that – just like guardian training, practice made perfect, but Rose insisted Olena had some special touch that she didn't which meant Dimitri only indulged when he came home. He didn't mind waiting, though, considering the last time Rose attempted the delicious carbohydrate she had forgotten it in the oven, got in the shower, and caused the smoke detectors to blare. Unsurprisingly, it had been less than edible. Also, unsurprisingly, Maverick loved it just as much – if not more, than his father did so it wouldn't last long. Olena had made sure to make lots before their arrival and was prepared to make a fresh batch before they left for them to take home on the plane. It was the least she could do.

Her son and his family had only gotten to Baia two days ago and between them getting settled in and caught up with their Russian roots, Olena hadn't had a chance to breach a topic she was saving for a face-to-face conversation with her son. This morning, however, it was still early, and they were the only two downstairs. Maverick had left about an hour ago for a run and but would be back any minute and Rose was in the shower, so she knew the privacy wouldn't last much longer. She entered the kitchen and sat at the table beside her son and gave him a warm, motherly smile as she reached across the table and put her hand over his. She knew he wasn't close with his father – he had made that, and the fact that he wasn't welcome in their home anymore, very clear from a young age, but it was still his father.

"Dimitri?" Came the gentle hum of Olena's voice. It was laced with apprehension, but Dimitri was far too absorbed within the fattening sweet loaf of freshly baked bread that he was now cutting into. "I always gain at least five pounds after leaving here." The older dhampir smiled his bright and childlike smile, which seemed to only be reserved for his mother and her cooking. "I can't eat like this anymore. The body doesn't allow for it..." He paused, glancing up from spreading a lighter layer of butter on the second piece of dough. "Neither does the wife."

He chuckled, feeling the stress of work and politics washing away now that he was miles away from Pennsylvania. It was an election year and Lissa and Christian were constantly traveling, which meant him, Rose, and Maverick - on most occasions - were also traveling. He was exhausted from the security preparations which needed to be set in place before allowing the Queen and her husband to set foot in any area. This world was not the one he remembered when first pursuing a career as a guardian. Not that the journey had ever been easy but having to schmooze with politicians and converse with variously ethnic dhampirs and incredibly outspoken moroi was well beyond his comfort zone. Rose on the other hand had no problem speaking her mind. The years of motherhood had certainly softened the brunette but every so often, that spark ignited and no one within a ten-mile radius was safe.

Olena's next works, however, caused the knife to quiver ever so slightly in Dimitri's right hand, as his reflex to shutter and become angry at the mere mention of his father kicked in. Old habits died hard.

"Well I will always indulge your sweet tooth when you're home," she started before turning serious. "I have something to tell you, actually. It's about your father."

"Is he in town!?" Suddenly uninterested in his morning snack, Dimitri found himself on edge and highly alert, as if sensing a strigoi approaching. " I can tell Rose to go into town with Maverick, if he's planning on showing up here." Rose may of had to endure meeting his dad once but Dimitri refused to allow his father anywhere near his own son.

Olena bit her lower lip as her son's mood shifted from utterly and completely relaxed to the fierce protector he was. She shook her head in response, her voice still gentle as though she was talking to a small child instead of her seasoned guardian son in his forties. "He isn't in town, dear. I got word last week that Randall is... well, he's been in an accident. He was drunk behind the wheel and ended up flipping his car into the median. Thankfully, no one else was hurt, but Randall's injuries... they were fatal."

She waited for her son's response as she heard the shower shut off upstairs. Rose had been in it an awfully long time, Olena thought idly, but she turned her full attention back to her son to try and anticipate his reaction and be there for him in whatever way he needed.

Highly mixed emotions filled the kitchen space as Olena's words sunk in. Relief, grief, sadness, anger, and regret fought for Dimitri's full attention. Leaning up against the edge of the counter, the older man ran a hand down his scraggly unshaven face. The room grew silent, as Dimitri wrested with conflicting feelings. Despite the loathing and contempt his dad had left behind, a small sliver of hope had always nagged at the dhampir. It was that same type of longing any child might haven when it came to picturing their parents together and happy. An unrealistic expectation that maybe one day his father would apologize or at the very least get his own life out of the shambles.

"I can't say that I'm surprised." Although in actuality, Dimitri kind of was surprised at the normalcy of which it happened - a car accident, of all things. Unable to grasp why the atmosphere felt so awkward, Dimitri now wished he had joined his son when asked to come with him for a morning run. But it seemed as if some other force had insisted that he say no and remain in the house. At the time, Dimitri thought it was the fierce wave of hunger threatening his stomach but perhaps it was to face this conversation alone without any added distractions. "Am I expected to put together a memorial service? I'm not sure who in their right mind would even come. It wouldn't be much of a funeral as it would a celebration."

Olena watched as her son processed her words. She was standing near him but also giving him some space. She saw a familiar swirl of emotion cross his face – the same one that she had when she found out, minus an old love and adoration for the man her children's father was when she first met him. Her daughters took the news similarly – confused and unsure of what to say exactly. She didn't expect them to mourn – their father hadn't turned out to be a good man or dad, but it didn't mean the news still wasn't difficult to digest, feel, and compartmentalize. She waited for him to speak – to take a moment to fully come to terms with his emotions.

"No, no, the memorial has already taken place." Olena explained. "I didn't even know about the accident until the day of the service; otherwise, I would have at least given you and your sisters the option to attend. It was in the States, though, and you were busy travelling with work and the girls and I never would have been able to go on such short notice. Daniella called to tell me – if not for her I probably never would have known." Daniella and Olena weren't necessarily friends, but they had run into one another a couple of times over the years when Olena visited Dimitri at court. Adrian had told his mother about Randall's role in Dimitri's parentage after the boys found out years ago and once Daniella heard about her ex-brother-in-law's accident she thought it only right to notify Olena considering no one else probably would have because they either wouldn't have known of the connection or even if they did know, they probably wouldn't have seen it necessary to inform her. "I just wanted you to know – to hear it from me. I know it's a lot to take in, even if you weren't close with him." That was putting it mildly.

Dimitri listened intently as his mother elaborated more on the staggering news. A sense of great relief took hold as Olena confessed to there already being a memorial service. The thought of standing over his father's casket caused a swirling tornado of mixed emotions but most of them were laced with resentment and frustration towards the man who, although propelled him towards a career as a guardian, also left deep psychological wounds amongst his loving mother and fragile sisters. "How are you coping with this?" It suddenly troubled him, now knowing, and wondering how long Olena had been carrying this information. Regardless of his own personal opinions, Randall was still the man Olena had shared her heart and bed with. "Would you consider me heartless for not sharing in his sufferings? That's not to say I hold no compassion over a life lost but in his case..."Dimitri paused, uncertain how to formulate the end of his statement. To say his father deserved to die sounded cruel and unforgiving; a line in the sand he wasn't sure he should, or wanted to, cross. "Well, he was irresponsible to say the least."

Pondering over the cause of Randall's death triggered an image of another person whose genetics seemed to be cursed with alcoholic tendencies. Of course, no where near as bad, Dimitri hated the idea of Adrian Ivashkov meeting a similar fate, especially when there was his wife, Sydney, and daughter, Grace to think about. It seemed as if the young moroi's partying days had well since ended thanks to Sydney. But when was the last time Rose had checked in on their friends? Last Christmas? Eddie typically provided Lissa with monthly updates. So perhaps no news was good news in this case. He decided to make a mental note to ask Rose to reach out to Sydney, who was far more reliable to get hold of than her partner once they arrived back at Court. He knew Maverick talked to Grace sporadically due to her interest in her dhampir genes, but it didn't seem fitting to ask his son about his friend's parents - not that he would probably have much to tell since Dimitri didn't think they were that close. "Do you think Daniella passed along this announcement to her son, Adrian?" Despite Olena not knowing the Ivashkov's on a personal level, word was made known as soon as Dimitri had found out the connection between him and his wife's Ex.

Olena was touched by her son's concern, but it was unwarranted. "I was… well, a little shocked at first. Not because what happened surprised me, necessarily, with your father's track record with recklessness and substance abuse but just because you never really prepare for that conversation. I've come to terms with it now, though. He's a… painful reminder of my past that's now put to bed for good." Olena said, trying to be transparent with her son and let him know that confusion was a normal reaction in this situation. As he continued to struggle with how to feel, Olena reached out and put her hand on his forearm. "Dimka, whatever you feel is valid. You're not heartless – not even close. As much as I regret not picking a better… suitor for your father, I can't regret the time I had with him because without him, you and your sister's wouldn't be here and you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. Just because he fathered you doesn't mean he was an actual father, I know that, and I tried to make up for his absence as you all grew up as much as I could but that doesn't mean the news of his death isn't… well, confusing."

Olena regretted deeply her ill-decision to accept Randall into her life – not for herself, but for her children. He seemed so kind at first but once she got pregnant and he started to show his true colors, things got rough. After having his baby, though, she felt stuck and ashamed to be a single mother – leaving her to have more of Randall's kids at his will and fear speaking back to him to avoid his temper. It was weak, but she was so young back then. She saw her errors now, of course, but it was much too late to change her behavior or provide a better upbringing for her children. Randall was always a taboo topic, though – one she didn't like talking to her children about, but they weren't children anymore.

Upstairs, Rose turned off the shower that had been noisily whistling for the last thirty minutes. She knew she was wasting hot water since she finished washing herself forever ago but she couldn't find it in herself to face what was waiting for her on the other side of the shower curtain.

She had some pretty uncharacteristic heartburn the day before - just after they arrived in Baia and she had passed the blame off to the plane food. Unfortunately, when she mentioned it, Dimitri's sister, Viktoria, jumped in without missing a beat and joked that she was probably pregnant - despite her being in her mid thirties. Viktoria now had three kids of her own and his sisters always teased her and Dimitri when they returned to give Maverick a sibling, but they were a very happy family of three and the line between family and duty was always thin enough. Thankfully, when Mav turned ten, they finally stopped asking. Maverick wasn't necessarily planned, either, but after finding out about spirit's interaction between dhampirs being able to have children, eventually she gave into Dimitri's subtle suggestion for them to try and see what happened despite their months of unprotected intimacy prior to finding out. She kind of thought it wouldn't work for them because of that, but only a month after they pulled contraception without much of a second thought, she ended up pregnant, a surprise to them both.

Only this time, her monthly visitor was late - and she remembered missing three or four of her birth control pills the month prior. She hadn't thought it was a big deal at the time - after all, she started taking them again when she remembered and had missed a couple here and there before and was always fine. With all of the traveling they were doing lately it was extremely hard to stay on any kind of schedule and remember the pills which was exactly why she had an appointment with the court medical center to find a more practical birth control method when she returned to court after their trip. Plus, stress or weird travel plans had been the culprit of her monthly visitor being late before.

She tried to convince herself that it was just an ill-timed joke on Viktoria's part, but as she considered it, she noticed her breasts were sore, heartburn had been her first sign on Maverick even though she hadn't realized it at the time, and she had been more tired lately, and Viktoria's comment started to worry her more - even though at the time she had laughed it off. After all, Maverick - who looked extremely ill at even the idea of his parents doing anything remotely related to procreation, had been in the room at the time amongst Dimitri's entire family. Yeva had given her a weird glance, though, which increased her anxiety further over her minor heartburn complaint. She hid her internal monologue from showing on her face in efforts to avoid tipping Dimitri off - who had also laughed his sister's comment away, and she hoped that her face didn't give anything away.

After verifying with the calendar on her phone that she was, in fact, five days late, she told the others later that evening she was going to go for a walk and managed to get out of the Belikov household unscaved and alone and fled to a nearby corner store to pick up a pregnancy test just to be sure - and that very test was laying on the counter now and putting the fear of God into her. Surely it couldn't be positive - they had long past the time of changing diapers and late nights with little to no sleep, right?

Rose finally got the courage to look at the test. Gazing down, she expected to see one pink line – a negative result, as she had a couple times over the years when she had been late and worried. She wasn't prepared for the second pink line – a positive result, and as she studied the small white window, two lines gazing up at her, she felt her stomach twist and tears automatically fill her vision. Pregnant. No, she couldn't be. Not now. The thought of her husband caused another shock to her system. She had to tell him that he was going to be a father again. The first time had been scary, of course, since Mav wasn't necessarily planned, but at least they were at the right age to begin a family and she knew he would be thrilled. Now was the worst time ever to have a baby. Their ages aside, they were so busy with work and with making sure Maverick was ready for every test the guardians would throw at him in the next year and for what adulthood would bring. Their world was much different than it used to be, that was for sure, but guardian's were still trained more or less the same way – although they rarely saw combat with the vaccine in circulation and increasing numbers of moroi using their magic to defend themselves – something now taught at the academies. With the decreasing deaths amongst their people, though, it meant more moroi that still needed protection from the possibility of an attack, which meant that guardians were still a necessity that most moroi couldn't fathom going without. Generally, those attacks were from other moroi and dhampirs, now, though, with strong political affiliations and not strigoi. Some - mostly aging, moroi were also still against using their magic to fight.

She had been in the bathroom for almost forty-minutes and she knew Maverick would be home from his run soon and want to get a shower. She had to get it together – what's done was done, right? She managed to dry off – and dry her eyes, get dressed, and slip into her and Dimitri's room unnoticed before putting the test back into the box and hiding it underneath a pile of clothes in her suitcase. She would deal with it later – when she was able to comprehend what this meant and the best way to approach her husband with the news of Belikov baby #2 incubating in her belly – 17 years after their first. She knew it would have to be sooner rather than later, though. Her morning sickness on Maverick started at 6 weeks – which was only one week away if this pregnancy progressed similarly and she calculated her missed monthly visitor right. Not to mention she was a lot older, now, and would have to see a doctor soon to ensure everything was okay – if they decided to go ahead with this pregnancy. Even considering the option of not, though, caused a knot to form in the brunette's stomach. As scary as it was – it was their baby. Maverick was scary, too, at first, and he was the best thing that had ever happened to them. She was torn but knew holding up in their room all day wasn't going to do her any favors – only cause more speculation but unfortunately, she lost any appetite for breakfast.

A rather non-existent summer breeze rustled through the 17 year old's dark brown hair as cement houses flashed by his peripheral vision on the run back to his grandmother's house. The rather impoverished neighborhood often felt more like home than the glamorous porcelain palace Maverick Belikov had grown up in. The residents of Baia lived such a simple life. They knew nothing else apart from the five-mile radius Maverick had just finished sprinting through for his morning exercise routine. With two well distinguished guardians as his parents, not to mention a grandmother, Janine, who only visited sporadically due to her own busy guardian schedule. Needless to say, he had some big shoes to fill. Rose had her son on a rigorous workout routine, hoping that he could outwit all the other novices, just as she had done. Oddly enough, it was his mother who pushed him towards greatness. Dimitri tended to be a bit laxer, which seemed to frustrate his mother, because in her own youth, Dimitri had been anything other than laid back when it came to academic achievement. Maverick had heard the story of their intense journey together more times than he could count from them, his instructors, and his peers.

There was a pressure to succeed, to make a name for himself, yet it was not caused by Rose or Dimitri but rather by a need to make the life he was given mean something. So often, his father had called him "malen'koye chudo" or, little miracle, in Russian, which Mavrick had started learning at the age of four. And then there was his mother. She confessed that his birth was a true miracle, a gift from spirit. That was probably as close to admitting there was a God as either of his folks felt comfortable confessing. With statements like those, how could he live anything BUT a miraculous life? Being a guardian was in his blood. He knew nothing else. His parents knew nothing else. Failing was NOT an option; nor was any other career path, right?

There was another problem in the making, though. If being a famous guardian was a part of the Belikov heritage than so was creating an epic love story; one to surpass his parents. Shockingly, Maverick felt well on his way in completing this goal. Grace Ivashkov was the only childhood friend he had known. His parents were incredibly protective throughout most of his pre-adolescent years. Originally wanting to pass him off as being adopted, in order to hide the truth of Rose's pregnancy, Maverick looked far too much like his father and displayed countless personality traits of his mother for anyone to be fooled and eventually, people found out about the spirit-induced pregnancy, as well as Declan's who eventually went to live with his dad. His parents always told him he was planned, but he thought differently. Socializing in the beginning stages of life had been far and few between, nonetheless.

Grace had caught his eye last Christmas, though. With childhood years far behind them, Maverick was finally able to see her in a different light than the seven-year-old kid with two uneven braids, because Adrian had insisted on doing her hair. Their brief time as kids was far and few between. It wasn't until more recently that Grace started reaching out to Maverick, asking questions about the Moroi and Dhampir world. She seemed starved for answers, causing Rick to question how much her parents shared with her. Adrian and Sydney typically spent the winter holidays at Court and last year had been no different. With some subtle prompting, Dimitri had convinced Maverick to take Grace ice skating while the parents chatted after their Christmas dinner.

Deciding that ice skating was a bit too lame, even though secretly Maverick enjoyed the winter sport whenever his mom offered to take him, instead, the two teens sat outside a small cafe with hot chocolates full of marshmallows; or at least Grace's mug was over flowing with the sticky sweets. Maverick's mug was plain, just like his dad would have ordered. They talked until their bodies were frozen from the cold and before reaching the Palace gates, without thinking, Maverick leaned in and planted an icy kiss upon Grace's almost blue lips. It felt like such a dumb move, and yet Maverick couldn't stop thinking about it ever since. Neither had seen each other since then but after she returned home to Idaho in January, Maverick boldly made the first attempt at communication; a simple text saying, "Hey..so how about that kiss huh?" Maybe he truly was his mother's son in that moment. That was eight months ago, though, and he was dying to see her again since they continued to talk every chance they could since then. They had a lot more in common than either thought, considering their different upbringings. At their core, though, they were both dhampirs and Grace had a lot of questions about her heritage.

With sweat now dripping down the dhampir's forehead, proof for his mother to see that he actually went for his five-mile jog, Maverick decided to come in through the kitchen door instead of the front, just in case anyone was still asleep. Apparently not even an intense cardio workout could stop his mind from thinking about Grace. What was this power she had over him already? Getting in contact with her while oversees had proved to be more difficult than both of them had originally anticipated. The time gap was throwing them for a loop and Maverick spent more time talking to Grace's voice mail than he did with her. Luckily with his busy life travelling with his parents, they didn't seem to notice him staring idly at his phone some days. They trusted him.

Before he went inside, he picked up his phone. It was only 8AM which meant in Idaho, it was 11PM. He may just catch Grace if he called her now and he knew considering it was Saturday, she would be at a sleepover as usual, bypassing her parents interception. He stepped around the side of the house and dialed her number and moments later, he heard the familiar female voice on the other side of the line.

"I was hoping to hear from you!" She greeted immediately.

"Hey to you, too," he chuckled. "I was hoping to catch you before you went to sleep."

"Are you just waking up?"

"Just getting back from my morning run, actually."

"How's Baia?"

"Oh, same old, same old. Beautiful. Quiet. Serene. Everything good with the world. Are you at Kelsey's?"

"Yeah," she said, as he heard the girls teasing Grace in the background. She hushed them and went into another room and he heard the door close.

"How's Kelsey's?" He asked idly.

"Good. Although my parents seemed weird today. I feel like I walked in on something serious but when I said goodbye to dad, he seemed light-hearted enough and mom asked me if I needed any money for tonight so I'm not sure what's going on but I have a strange feeling."

"Strange like how?"

"I'm not sure… it feels nostalgic, almost, but not. I'll do some digging and get back to you, but enough about my parents. I've missed you so much."

"I miss you, too, Grace," he sighed. "More than you know. I hate not being able to talk everyday, but hopefully when we get back to court in a couple of weeks you can either convince your parents to visit before school starts back up for you, or we can at least manage some daily communication from now on."

"I hope you're right."

"We'll figure it out. I know it seems like a long time now, but you always come to court for Christmas so I'll see you in five-ish month if not."

"That's basically a short eternity," she teased. "I was really hoping we could re-enact last Christmas before then…"

Maverick felt a smile playing on his lips, "Trust me, there's nothing I want more. My mom's going to get suspicious if I'm not inside soon, though. She's probably awake. I should go - and let you hang with your friends."

"Alright, I'll talk to you… hopefully soon?"

"Hopefully soon, I'll do my best."

"Bye, Mav."

"Bye, beautiful."

He hung up with a heavy heart and kicked off his dirty white sneakers just outside the back door before stepping over the threshold and found his dad and grandmother in the middle of what appeared to be a serious conversation.

Maverick entered the kitchen just as Dimitri asked about Adrian, and Olena shrugged after giving her grandson a warm smile. "I would imagine Daniella would have told Adrian about his uncle passing if she called me. Your cousin wasn't very close to your father, either, though, so I can't imagine he would have uprooted things to attend the service."

"The rest of the family?"

"I believe they contacted all of the Ivashkov's and they had a private ceremony for him in the states last week."

Adrian Ivashkov? What did Grace's dad have to do with his grandfather?

Dimitri nodded, "It's weird that Adrian never told me."

"He may not know, I don't know for certain."

"His uncle died – he knows. As much as Adrian has removed himself from his dad's side of the family, I'm sure Daniella would have caught wind and passed the message along."

Adrian's uncle? His grandfather? "What are you talking about?" Maverick asked suddenly. "What do the Ivashkov's have to do with it?"

Dimitri looked to his son, "My father - Randall Ivashkov, passed away. I just found out - he's Adrian's uncle."

Maverick suddenly felt sick. His grandfather was Grace's great-uncle? That meant… no way. Grace was his second-cousin. Dhampir's didn't get sick often, but Maverick felt like he was about to puke. No, no, no, this couldn't be happening! He didn't know this before because, well, he had never asked his father about his grandfather - his dad made it clear he wasn't in their lives for a reason and he never pried. Most of court wouldn't have known, either, since it seemed to be fairly secretive. How was he so stupid?

Rose had finally made her way downstairs after hearing the back door open, assuming her son was back. She was grappling with telling Dimitri – when and how, but she knew she couldn't keep this from him. Over the years she learned it was better to face things head-on and maybe telling him right away was the best thing. She knew when he found out he wouldn't appreciate being kept in the dark and it would greatly reduce her anxiety to hear his Zen talk on it – he always brought her back to the present and ensured things would be okay as long as they had each other. She leaned in the doorframe, "Dimitri can I steal you away from Olena's bread for a-…"
Her eyes took in Olena, her husband, and Maverick and the tense mood in the room – and rather perplexed look on her son's face. "What's wrong?"

"Why didn't you tell me we're related to the Ivashkov's?" Maverick was usually pretty good at keeping his emotions in check, much like his father, but this came out of left field and had the catastrophic (to him) ability to blow up his first real relationship. Apparently, he wasn't the only one good at keeping secrets.

Dimitri sighed, "Because there was no need to. Your grandfather is… was no one of interest to you."

"I see Adrian, Sydney, and Grace all the time and you didn't think I should know that Adrian's my cousin?!" He hoped focusing on his relationship with the older Ivashkov would hide his immediate disgust over his history with Grace.

"I didn't think it mattered. We didn't… intentionally hide it."

"Your father calls Adrian his cousin all the time," Rose piped up, forgetting her own turmoil for a minute to deal with whatever this was since Maverick was acting strange.

"I just thought… well, Adrian calls everyone cousin, even Queen Dragomir which isn't actually his cousin. I assumed it was… more of a friendly greeting than factual." As more things clicked together in Maverick's head, his nausea increased. This was real. Grace was… she was related to him. Oh, no.

Rose sighed and looked between her mother-in-law, husband, and son. She wasn't sure why Maverick was so upset over finding out about his grandfather, but she needed to make sure her husband was okay first. "Mav, go upstairs and I'll be up in a few minutes, okay?"

Maverick sighed and stomped upstairs past Olena who disappeared into the living room. Rose gestured for Dimitri to follow her out back and they sat on the wooden swing on the porch. She turned to him and took his hand, intertwining their fingers together as Dimitri recounted to her what Olena had told him, silencing falling between them for a moment before Rose spoke up. "It's okay if you're… well, confused on how to feel."

Dimitri sighed, running his free hand through his hair. "I don't want to be confused. I just want to be relieved and move on."

** One month later **

Grace being shipped off to her grandmother's just as the upcoming school year was growing near was strange. What was even weirder was her dad going on a vacation alone just before her mom told her she was leaving. She could tell something was going on but unfortunately, she had been distracted lately thanks to Maverick. Unfortunately, things between them had been pretty curt lately. Him spending the last month in Russia on a totally different time schedule than her – which was funny because it was the first time they were actually on the same daylight schedule, was putting a strain on their conversation. As his time in Baia progressed, it only got worse; however, she was excited to see him now and hopefully make up for lost time.

Since their awkward first kiss last winter, she had been consumed with thoughts of her first real crush – and possible love. Unfortunately, she didn't want to have to go there under these weird circumstances. Her mom wouldn't elaborate but had told her she would be flying with her for a brief stay before she was going back home due to work. The weird feeling she got back before her sleepover with Kelsey that day had only amplified, her parents were both acting so weird. She was so preoccupied with Maverick barely finding time to contact her after they spoke that morning in Baia, though, that she wasn't exactly sure what was going on with anything anymore.

They arrived during the moroi's workday although it was 1AM. It was always interesting to see how different their worlds were. She expected her grandmother to meet them at the gates, but she was pleasantly surprised to see Rose, Dimitri, and Maverick there to usher them through security.

"How was your flight?" Dimitri asked Sydney as he embraced her warmly.

"Uneventful," Sydney said stiffly – though not because of her old weariness of vampires. Grace knew her mom was simply exhausted by the bags under her eyes.

Rose hugged Sydney and whispered something to her as Grace greeted Dimitri before seeing Maverick. She gave him a shy smile and she was a little surprised at the apprehensive look in his eyes – she would have thought that he would have been happier to see her.

"Hey," she said nervously. She had texted him to tell him she was coming to court but had never heard back. She blamed it on the time difference again, this time him being on the vampiric night schedule, but something seemed strange now that she was here, standing in front of him and it amplified the weary feelings she already felt at where they stood.

Maverick's chest panged seeing the beautiful blonde with piercing green eyes, a tall and lean frame from not training her dhampir muscles, and her gorgeous smile. Even the thoughts running through his mind as he laid eyes on her made him sick. He was so sure he had found someone he could honestly say he loved – even with their brief time together in person, until his trip to Russia.

"Hey," he said easily, not making a move to reach out an hug her like they would have done previously, afraid to touch her. He could see her confusion, but he wasn't sure what to say to make her feel better. If he comforted her, surely it would go too far, and he couldn't let it. Not when he finally knew the truth.

Grace shifted awkwardly on her feet and wondered what kind of mess she looked like considering their flight and the late-night for her and her mom, but she didn't have too long to ponder before they got clearance to go inside the gates to Rose and Dimitri's home. When they got pregnant with Maverick, they got upgraded to a small home on the outskirts of the palace. It was still close enough to Lissa for Rose to be close by but provided them with a little more privacy and room than their one-bedroom suite had with their new addition on the way. Grace had been there multiple times before with Maverick alone, as well as with her parents and it felt a little weird not having her dad to accompany them, but she tried to push the thought – and the looming strangeness away. Sydney and Rose talked the whole way and Grace could tell the brunette was trying to get her mom to banter a little more, as though she knew something was bothering her. She probably did – guardians were very perceptive, and she could tell her mom was acting strangely but wouldn't divulge any information as to why to her daughter despite her attempts thus far.

Maverick was also acting weird and she felt like she was plunged into a storybook of confusion and secrecy. She tried to break the ice – especially considering their last in-person interactions. "How's everything been?"

Maverick walked stiffly beside her and shrugged, "Oh you know, same old, same old. Up early for a run, combat all day, some minor classes, then home to train with my parents who are practically Gods. Then dinner and bed and do it all again the next day. The usual." He tried to keep his tone light, but even he sensed the curtness in it and fought a cringe. He wasn't supposed to be cold to her – he was supposed to greet her with a kiss (after his parents found out) and embrace her, but things had changed so much since Russia. He was also, as usual, a little annoyed by his constant training regimen and strict schedule. Baia had been a nice break from that.

Grace nodded awkwardly as they walked and sensed Dimitri listening in to their conversation – not purposefully, but he was having a hard time getting a word in edge-wised with his wife and Sydney – well, mainly Rose, so he had turned his attention to his son and Grace. Sensing his closeness, Grace edged on the side of caution, assuming Maverick still hadn't divulged their relationship to his parents. "Well, the only thing good about this whole staying with my grandma thing is getting to spend time with you. I've missed you." Not entirely revealing of their relationship, but still heavy enough for Maverick to guess what she meant.

"Yeah, you, too," he said flippantly before growing silent again.

"Actually," Dimitri said, hearing Grace's words. "You're going to be staying with us."

"Not Daniella?" Grace asked, brow furrowed.

Rose and Sydney turned their attention to Grace and Sydney tried to give her a reassuring smile. "I thought since you and Maverick are good friends you'd rather stay with Rose and Dimitri - they were nice enough to offer."

If Maverick had been acting different, she could push-past how weird this entire thing was to be excited to stay with Maverick, but considering everything seemed so weird, she merely nodded, unsure of how to feel. Why not her grandmother?

Grace knew something was off. She was hoping it was just nerves at first, but she knew Maverick as a daring and confident guy who edged more on the serious side – the perfect mix of both his parents. Unfortunately, she could tell when he wasn't being himself and it only heightened her unease of being at court. She fell silent, deciding she wasn't about to make anymore of a fool of herself and soon after, they got to the Belikov's residence.

Going inside, Rose asked Maverick to keep Grace busy while they talked – in private, with Sydney. Of course, Grace's anxiety only grew and she was also not too keen considering the circumstances with being alone with Maverick, which was widely contradictory to what she felt months prior. "I can go see if Grandma is free?" Grace offered, looking to Maverick, then back to the adults. "I mean, I don't want to inconvenience anyone. Maverick's probably got homework."

"It's fine, he's caught up," Dimitri assured her. "Be a good host, son."

They disappeared into the living room and shut the sliding doors, leaving the teenagers alone. Grace hesitated before turning to Maverick and he sighed, "Sorry I've been a jerk. I've just been off lately."

She gave him a hesitant smile before nodding, "It's fine. It has been a while." Their conversations when he was in Russia were mostly voice-mail-oriented so it had been over a month since they really talked.

"Do you want to, uh, watch TV?"

"Sure."

Maverick led Grace up to his room after she put her bags in the guest room and she stepped hesitantly over the threshold. Grace hadn't been in his bedroom in this context before. Maverick sat on the bed and gestured for her to sit beside him. Grace sat, cross-legged and met his gaze. "I think there's something up with my parents. Something really bad, maybe." Maybe talking about something other than the elephant in the room was a good tactic.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well… I mean, I'm here, aren't I? Mom and dad have been acting really strangely, too. I'm not sure what it's about, but I just have a gut feeling something's not right. Dad's gone on some vacation, apparently, and they've been acting really weird for weeks now. And I don't understand why I'm staying with you guys and not Daniella - other than your parents know something she doesn't… or maybe she does and they don't want her saying something, I don't know, but this is weird, isn't it? I've never spent a school semester outside of the human school system. I don't even know what I'm supposed to be learning here. Mom said she's enrolling my in private school by distance but I can also take advantage of some of the entry level dhampir courses or battle courses, but… I don't know what to do. Who I am."

"I was kind of surprised when you said you were coming here. I didn't think your mom would let you leave the human school to come here… especially to stay with us which I only just found out about, too."

"Me either. She – and my dad, up to this point, have been pretty adamant of my education staying in a human school for… well, further advancement if I chose to live a life outside of the vampiric environment - which, considering I haven't trained at all as a dhampir, seems like my only option. So for her to insist I come here for a little while just raises all kinds of red flags." It was working – focusing on the underlying reason of her being here was almost masking how much she wanted to touch Maverick. Almost. It was a weird feeling, liking someone. It was both exhilarating and stomach clenching all in one.

Maverick contemplated her words before speaking, "Did you ask them?"

"They just said they both agreed I should take part in this world, too. I know they've been really considerate with me wanting to explore both to see where I fit in recently – though I'm not sure I really fit in either place entirely, but I just didn't expect them to make it… well, so permanent. My dad didn't seem entirely on board, either, kind of like my mom convinced him and he had no say."

"You can always go back to your old school, though, right?"

"Yeah, they'll just have to fake some transfer papers so I'd have my credits at my old school but it still doesn't add up."

"I guess that's what our parents are talking about downstairs," Maverick pointed out.

"I just don't understand, why all the secrets? My parents and I have been very open my entire life." Her feelings for Maverick excluded, of course.

"I'll try to get some answers if I can but, well they're not the only ones keeping a secret, are they?" He said, alluding to what he knew she was thinking about but immediately wishing he stayed away from the topic.

She grinned shyly, feeling a blush creep up on her cheeks. She was the All-American good girl who excelled at everything she attempted. School was a breeze even with her mom insisting on her joining all of the academic clubs like robotics and joining the AP classes, sports teams - considering she was a dhampir, came naturally, and finally, she was sociable. Grace was extremely well liked and also served on a number of volunteer groups in the school. But the one place she wasn't confident was here, with Maverick. She felt completely inept at whatever this was and it unnerved her to not be perfect at something. She also faced her dad's intense obsession with seeing things through. Not only was it her moms intellect, but also Adrian's passion. "I feel like we haven't spoken in forever."

"Being on the other side of the world would definitely do that. How was the rest of your summer?"

Grace shrugged, "Uneventful. I mostly just hung out with the girls. I told them about you. They're dying to meet my out of state, private-school boyfriend." Before she realized the term 'boyfriend' escaped her lips, it was too late.

Maverick shifted uncomfortably before clearing his throat, "Boyfriend?"

"It's just… a casual term. What they call you," she covered lamely. "I just… told them about the kiss so they assumed."

A girlfriend. If things were different, he would have had a girlfriend. The whole situation just made him angry. "Makes sense."

"I mean… I kind of thought, just maybe… that's where this was headed?"

Maverick dodged the question because moments later, he heard a knock on his bedroom door before it opened. Dimitri stuck his head in and smiled warmly. "Grace, your mom is leaving now if you want to say goodbye?"

Grace felt immediately uncomfortable with the turn of events with Maverick, but forced a smile. "I don't want to impose, seriously. I can call Daniella and see if she's busy-"

"Nonsense," Dimitri said, waving it off. "We've got the guest room set up for grandmother has plans tonight, anyways. Come downstairs."

He left to go back downstairs and Grace met Maverick's equally as dismayed gaze before they got up and followed Dimitri to where her mother was waiting at the bottom of the stairs beside Rose. She looked a little flustered - emotional as she engulfed Grace into her arms. "Be good, okay? Listen to Rose, Dimitri, and your grandmother. If you really want to come home, I'm just a plane-ride away but I think this will be good for you." Sydney truly thought this was the best thing to do considering she wanted to be able to focus on trying to put herself back together as well as Adrian, but it was agonizing to be away from Grace in a place where she was generally unfamiliar in comparison to home.

"I'll be fine, mom, don't worry." Grace said, pulling back to meet her mother's gaze. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said, reaching over to push a stray lock of hair behind her daughter's ear. Her eyes were glossed with tears and Grace frowned, feeling herself choke up, too.

"Don't cry," she pleaded. "You said it yourself - it's just a plane-ride away."

Sydney forced a smile and cleared her throat. "I know, I've just never been away from you for this long. Especially… well, you're growing up, now."

"No matter how old I get, I promise we'll still do pedicures together every month," she teased. It had become the one indulgence Sydney allowed herself to be closer to her daughter, who, admittedly, loved the luxurious self-care regimens much more than Sydney. Teenaged daughters.

"Sounds good. Here," Sydney passed her a small, plastic card from her pocket. "Rose and Dimitri refused any money for meals or their hospitality, so I put some money on here for you to have for yourself. It's more than enough for the time being."

"Mom, you don't have to-"

"How else are you going to keep up those nails?"

She smiled, rolling her eyes. "Thank you."

They hugged again before Sydney sighed, grabbing her purse off the nearby chair. "Alright, I'll be calling to check in so keep your phone nearby. If you need anything, just give me a call, okay?"

"I will. I'll give dad a call every now and then, too, so he doesn't think I have a favorite parent," she teased.

The joke was supposed to lighten the room, but her mother grew tense, as did Rose and Dimitri. Sydney shared a glance with Rose before forcing a small, tight smile. "I'm sure he would like that, but, he's going to be away for a little while at that retreat with his friends from school. I'm not sure he'll have phone access. I'll tell him to call you as much as he can, though, okay, sweetie?"

This whole thing was weird. The fact that her dad hadn't come with them and he was going away to a "retreat". What kind of retreat? Her dad barely had any friends outside of the people he taught with at the elementary school. Certainly no "old friends." She nodded, hating being so blatantly left out. "Who is he going there with?"

"I'm not sure, he said there was a bunch of the guys from his graduating class going."

Sydney wasn't a good liar, and Grace could tell despite her quick responses, that they weren't genuine; however, with Rose, Dimitri, and Maverick around, she didn't think it the time to get into it. "Tell him I hope he has fun," Grace said simply, choking back a yawn.

"Get some sleep, I'll check in tomorrow, okay?"

Grace nodded and with a hug goodbye to Rose, Sydney left with Dimitri as her escort back to the front gates.

"Maverick, can you show Grace to the guest room? Dimitri put all of her things up there."

He nodded before Rose disappeared into the living area downstairs. Grace hesitated before following Maverick back upstairs and to the end of the hallway. Rose and Dimitri's bedroom was downstairs and there was only 2 upstairs - Maverick's and the guest room, with a small shared bathroom. Maverick opened the door for her and Grace stepped over the threshold and sighed, forgetting their romantic complications for the time being. "My mom is acting so weird, did you see that?"

Maverick nodded, "It was… strange. I've never known your dad to hangout with anyone here from court."

"You and I both."

Grace sighed and sat on the bed. It had a large duvet, way too many pillows, and the room had a floral centerpiece on the nearby dresser, a window beside the bed, and otherwise a simplistic vibe. She was sure Rose hadn't designed it. Not that she didn't have good taste, but because she never would have had the time to try and match decor of a guest bedroom together with her guardian and parent duties. Queen Vasilisa must have had a hand in ordering someone to furnish their apartment.

"Well… I guess I should head to bed." The sun was coming up and Grace was immediately glad that there was a black, room-darkening blind over the window. It would take some getting used to her new schedule.

"Yeah, me, too." Pushing her mom from her mind, she was faced with Maverick's awkwardness. This whole thing felt weird.

Maverick was kicking himself for being such a jerk, but what was he supposed to do? When Grace said the word 'boyfriend' earlier, he wanted so badly for him to kiss her and proclaim her as his girlfriend. But he couldn't. They were related. Even though there were many less qualms about cousins hooking up at court - due to the royal bloodlines, he knew Grace would be appalled by the idea from growing up in the human world. Besides, the moroi only did it here, traditionally, to preserve their bloodlines - it wasn't like it was still done nearly as often or with other, non-royal members of the community, dhampir's included. He understood the idea of Grace being repulsed. He kind of was, too, behind the immense attachment he had grown to the beautiful blonde sitting only 6 feet away from him on a bed - a sight hard to ignore as he got older into his teens with raging hormones and less than what could be considered as a social life. Grace was the only girl he had ever kissed. Or even noticed, really, with his busy schedule and focused goals imposed by his parents and now that he had, he was having a very difficult time straddling the line between his head, heart, and well, his hormones.

"Look, I'm sorry," he said instinctively. "I just…"

"Is there someone else? I know we haven't really talked all summer… I understand-'

"No, there's no one else," he promised. On second thought, maybe he should have went with that. Unfortunately, with Grace living at court, it would be difficult to manage that type of lie. "I've just really got to focus on my training right now and my mom keeps saying I don't need any distractions."

Grace felt her heart soar at the idea of no one else having caught Maverick's attention, but then felt it sink at the realization that he deemed her as nothing more than a simple distraction from his life. She nodded, trying to formulate a decent response. "Does your mom know… about us?"

"No, I haven't told anyone. Have you?"

"No," she confirmed. "Besides my friends, but they only know the bare minimum."

Maverick nodded, partly excited that she told her friends about them yet also sad that whatever she divulged to them - what they both wanted, would never come to full fruition. "I'm so close to graduation, it's going to sneak up fast and I need to be ready to deal with whatever comes next."

"You know what's going to come next," Grace said, crossing her legs underneath her. "You're going to be a kick-ass guardian. Kind of hard not to be with parents like yours."

The corner of his lips twitched up to a grin before he sighed, "The expectation to live up to half the guardians they are is… exhausting."

"I know, but it's not an unrealistic expectation. Yeah, they've done a lot, but I'm sure they don't expect - or want you, to live in their… adventurous footsteps. Things have changed a lot, you've said, since they started out, right?"

Had they ever. The vaccine eradicated so much of what his parents had dealt with and shifted it to more politically-driven than life or death. "I guess so."

"At least you know what you're going to end up being. I don't know if having it decided for you or trying to figure it out yourself is better or worse."

"What do you mean?" Maverick asked, leaning in the door frame. "You're being groomed for Harvard, what you've always wanted."

Grace dropped her gaze and played with her fingers before shrugging, "I thought a lot about it the summer and… well, I don't know what I want anymore. I want to get to know this world - even if I'm rather late to the dhampir party. I see how carefree my dad is teaching art and how much he loves it… then I see how hard my mom works and how stressful her job is. Sometimes I wonder if going to a prestigious college and coming out with a good, high-paying job is worth the sacrifices."

"You've always said you've wanted to do law school, though."

"I did. I do. I mean… I don't know. I want to help people and it seemed like a good way to do it, but the more I look into it the more… ambitious it seems. My mom is super-smart and I've got pretty good grades now but law school is intimidating. It's such a long program. Maybe social work or… I don't know, something less stressful would be fun, too."

Maverick gave her a small, sympathetic smile. "You still have time to decide, you know. You don't have to do it now."

"My mom's practically ordering our matching Harvard sweatshirts," she said, laughing and trying to lighten the mood. "If I don't go, I'll disappoint her."

"The only way you'll disappoint her is if you do something that won't make you happy. You know your dad isn't going to penalize you for not going to Harvard and neither will she."

Grace shrugged, "I guess we have to wait and see."

"Well, right now," he glanced over to the sun continuing to rise over the mountains in the distance through her window. "We should get some sleep. You've been up travelling all night, you must be exhausted."

"Sounds good… See you in the morning, I guess. Or… well, evening?"

He smirked, "Better get used to our ways since you're going to be around for a while." Then, he turned on his heel and shut the door, leaving them both to their own thoughts.