To those of you whom I chatted with, I promised that I'd update today. Well, it's a bit late in the evening ( 10:21 p.m. ) but I am updating.

I've had a really good day and got the most amazing early birthday present! My little sister (whom was adopted by my aunt when she was a baby and lives two hours away) is staying with me for a few days. My aunt (her adopted mother) is kind of a bitch, so I don't get to see my sister very often and she definitely doesn't get to come stay with me. She hasn't spent the night with me in over two years until tonight. So we're staying up all night and playing Super Mario on the Wii :)

Disclaimer : I do not own VA or any of the recognizable characters

Please review!

Enjoy!

DPOV ( Written by Bethismyname )

I received a reply from Rose about an hour later after I sent it. After reading the email, I knew exactly what I wanted to say, but getting the words out was a different story.

I decided that, as much as I wanted to see her in her concert, I needed to think it over first.

My feelings had grown, and I think it had something to do with her helping me with Ivan. I forced myself to believe that what I felt for her was just my brain trying to distract myself from my grief.

For the next week, I followed up on the various jobs Karolina insisted I apply for, but none stood out as much as that last one – even if I knew it might result in sadness.

And so I found myself, three hours before the memorial, sitting in an awkward seat opposite the most terrifying man I'd ever seen… well, heard of.

This man, famous in the corporate world for dodging around the law and shady deals that we won't even go into here.

"Name."

"Dimitri Belikov," I replied, managing to keep the waver out of my voice, "Sir." I added quickly.

"Why do you want this job?"

"I was in the army up until a month or so ago and," I considered saying what Karo had made me practice; how I loved to help protect people, and wanting to do something more, just closer to home, but realised that lying wouldn't get me anywhere here. "Look, I'll be honest with you here," I said, resting my elbows to the table and leaning forwards slightly, "You've seen my file, I have next to no qualifications, hardly any experience apart from the army – this is one of the only jobs I can get and the only one I'm interested in. I hated the army, 'fighting for your country' is a myth, fed to the troops so they think they're doing something worthwhile when actually there's more than that. As soon as I joined I was told 'they come first'. They acted as if the people came first, when it was just the politicians. If I want to protect someone, I want to do it for me, for someone I know personally, not someone I've never met."

He sat back, a smirk forming across his face.

"I like you, Belikov. I thought you'd sprout some rubbish like all the others, but all I can see is truth and pain in your eyes. You've suffered at the hand of this country, and I think you'd be perfect."

I sat back abruptly and blinked. Perfect!? I was far from that, but took the compliment in my stride anyway.

"Thank you Sir." I replied professionally.

"I'll see you tomorrow, same place, same time." He informed me, striding out the office.

I followed and only let the smile show when I was driving down the road in my car.

The infamous Zmey approved of me.

I drove home and changed out of my clothes, into something more appropriate for the memorial. Black jacket, black pants, and a crisp white shirt accompanied by a black tie.

I reached for my black over jacket on the hook by the door but changed my mind and took my duster instead.

Ivan had always laughed at it, my strange love of all things Western.

"C'mon Dimka! It's snowing!" he shouted, the laughter clear in his voice. I grabbed my duster and shrugged it over my shoulders.

"I wouldn't if I were you," He said, eyeing the long jacket, "the snow might ruin it ya know."

My eyes widened as I realised he was right and hurriedly took it off, putting on an older jacket. He laughed at my panic.

"Jeez Dimka, take a chill pill!" I rolled my eyes at his amusement,

"I thought we were going?" I reminded him.

I smiled fondly at the memory and climbed into the car, ready to head to Ivan's parent's house. Before I started the car, I noticed a file, laid forgotten and covered by my bag, on the passenger seat. I opened it up to find, to my shock, the gym applicant Karo had given me.

"Need help with that?" I asked, looking at my best friend struggling with the circular weight.

"No, I'm fine." He replied, his voice forced and slightly strained.

"Look," I said, taking the weight easily from his hands, "you need to start small, then build up." I placed it back on the rack, and scanned the selection for something smaller. "Use this first."

I handed him a much smaller weight, at least half the size, and took the other one. Together we walked over to a free bench press and sliding it on smoothly. I took the other from his awaiting arms and did the same on the other side.

"Thanks." He said gratefully, "It's good to finally see you again, Dimitri."

"It's good to see you, too, Ivan." I replied, holding out my hand. He took it and gave me a firm handshake.

"Do you want me to help?" I asked, "I come here a lot, I can always help you train."

"That would be a help." He agreed with a smile.

That gym held memories for me, memories I didn't need resurfacing for the time being. It took me a long time to coax Ivan out of the shell he'd built around himself – a shell that was hard to notice but was there. He was in shady dealings – the reason he went to the gym with me to begin with.

I started up the car and drove down the street, the journey to my destination imprinted into my brain.

I knocked on the door and patiently waited on the doorstep. I heard a muffled conversation before the door finally opened.

"Dimitri?" Ivan's father greeted me with surprise.

"I received your letter last week." I said, "I felt my reply should be in person."

He smiled warmly as he ushered me inside, but the sadness was clear in his eyes.

"I'm sad it has to be under these circumstances." He admitted softly, closing the door behind him.

"Sir, in Ivan's last moments, I know he was thinking of you. He loved you more than you realise and had always appreciated everything you've ever done for him."

"Thank you Dimitri. Your support managed to get him through…the tougher times."

"He would have done the same for me." I assured him.

"I know son, I know." He gave me a soft pat on the back, and lead me into the kitchen where we found Mrs. Zeklos hovering over the stove.

"Smells nice." I complimented her. She turned, her eyes lighting up as she saw me.

"Dimitri!" she ran over and gave me a strong hug, "Thank you." She whispered.

I smiled, returning the gesture. "He loved you." I said with complete sincerity, staring deeply into her eyes, and she nodded sadly.

When she was finished, they lead me outside and into their large expanse of a backyard. It was mid-afternoon and the sun was still shining brightly overhead, casting a warm glow over the tress. It seemed oddly fitting.

On a day of such sadness, the sky should have been dark, gloomy, and pouring rain, reflecting the somber emotions of the people who had gathered here to pay final respects to my best friend. But in true Ivan style, it was the complete opposite. My friend had never been one to go with the flow.

As we stood around the stone memorial that had been put up in his favourite place, I felt a tear flowing down my face.

It was a stone tablet, underneath a large willow tree. We used to talk here, as strange as it seemed.

Ivan was always the most relaxed when he was surrounded by nature.

Usually the flowers were colourful, and the birds were chirping but today, it was as if theyknew what was happening.

Despite the sun that shone through the long leaves of the tree, it was silent.

Nature just seemed to have…stopped.

"Dimitri, do you have anything you would like to add?"

I looked up, so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't heard a word that had been spoken. I nodded, and opened my mouth to speak, but wasn't sure where to start.

So I started from the beginning.

"Ivan and I met in kindergarten. We became best friends, and were inseparable until he moved away to the States. Being so young when he moved made it hard to keep in contact, and after a while, we stopped speaking all together. When I got older, I moved here as well, and a couple of months down the road, I ran into Ivan. When I met up with him again after all of those years… he wasn't in a good place.

"I took him to a gym, and offered to help him train. At the time I didn't know what it was for, but I soon found out that he had gotten involved in certain things that he shouldn't have. While he smiled, a lot, it never reached his eyes. But as we rekindled our friendship, once again, those smiles became more genuine and real. I helped him through the toughest of times, and he did the same for me. He was so strong, and without him I'm not sure where I would be today."

Another tear traced its way down my cheek, and I tried to continue but my voice wavered and broke. I felt an arm around me and looked down to see Mrs. Zeklos pulling me in for a comforting hug.

"He was… he was brave till the end." I whispered, my eyes shut tight as I hugged her back fiercely.

After that we walked back through the meadow, and down the pebble path back to the Zeklos house.

Mrs. Zeklos had prepared food, and everyone just… talked. Stories about Ivan, how they'd met him, stupid things he'd gotten them to do.

By the end it was only me left.

"I think I should go." I said finally, standing.

"I hope we'll see you soon." Mrs. Zeklos said hopefully.

"I'll try to drop by." I promised.

The car ride home was thankfully short, and I was exhausted by the time I finally closed the door behind me.

A glowing light was coming from the kitchen, and I went in to find my laptop sitting up, open on the email from Roza.

I sighed, and sat down in front of it.

Sept. 9

Dear Roza,

You're right – I don't think it would look very good if I attended your concert on my own. I'm not sure how many it would be, but I would probably need 2. My sister is about your age, her name is Viktoria and I know she would love to see you in concert.

And as for Russia, I would love to take you there someday to my hometown in Baia. It's so beautiful, when the sun rises, it shines across the landscape, and lights everything up. It's amazing.

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to reply, but I received a letter the day I got your email. It was from Ivan's parents. I went to his memorial today, and I couldn't work up the courage to reply to you until now.

Your Friend,

Comrade.

To everyone who has asked when Rose and Dimitri are meeting and whether or not Dimitri will be Rose's bodyguard: please be patient. The story is getting there...

oh, and just a hint: just because Dimitri got interviewed, does not mean that he's going to get the job as Rose's body guard :)

Much love! And please review!