I couldn't even form words I just kept nodding while I tried to wipe the tears from my cheeks. Dimitri got up off the floor and I gave him a tight embrace. I heard clapping and cheering all around me but I didn't really care. I didn't realize my hold on Dimitri's neck for a long time. When I did I was shaking.
He slide the ring on before I held him again. I gave him a kiss when I let go. "I love you. I love you so much, more than I could ever say." Lissa startled me when a flash went off and she squealed. She looked at the tiny display of the camera she was holding before squealing again.
"Oh Dimitri why didn't you tell me you were going to do that. It was absolutely adorable but I wasn't expecting it at all and it was just so cute!" Dimitri laughed. It was funny to see her so excited and go off on tangents like that. Lissa kept taking pictutes and making excited noises.
"You're not the only one who can have surprises." Dimitri's mother came over and hugged him, and she was crying.
"I never thought I would see the day Dimka, I'm so happy for you. You make me so proud." She gave me a hug. As well before stepping aside for my father. His voice was cheery but slightly creepy.
"Belikov, my girl is barley legal and looking at the current situation you couldn't even wait for that." My mother whacked him in the arm. "You sly dog, I'll have to take you hunting with me so I can make sure your actually good man for my Rosemarie. You me out in the woods with a shotgun and no witnesses. I'm sure it would be some great in-law bonding time." He laughed but I wasn't sure if he was actually joking. He started to chase a waitresses with a tray of glasses.
"Congratulations." My mother gave me brief hug. She smiled at Dimitri before quickly excusing herself. Lissa and Viktoria came back over and soon they were talking about weddings so I eventually left and sat down watching everyone dancing and slowly getting wasted. Dimitri finally had one drink about an hour later, but he never walked very far from me.
Adrian was completely wasted when he came to sit by me. "One day I'm gonna do that for Sydney. For now I guess I still have to figure out how to crack he so I can kiss her." He was slurring his words but I couldn't spend much time deciphering them because his smell was making me nauseous. He kept rambling about the alchemist and made their 'relationship' seemed one sided at best. He eventually left and I exhaled in relief.
Dimitri came over and put an arm around me. He was clearly not effected by the drink he had earlier at all. I yawned and leaned into his chest. "I love you." I felt like I could not say that enough now. Lissa came over and took another picture off us sitting on this fancy bench before I started to fall asleep on Dimitri.
"Are you ready to go?" I simply nodded before I nestled myself on his jacket and began to close my eyes. I remembered seeing my mother leaning over and asking something and sleepily following Dimitri to the limo, until about half way when he decide to just carry me. Even though it took about a half hour for all the drunk party goers to be rounded up and put in the limo I still managed to fall asleep on Dimitri's lap before we headed home.
I woke up when the limo stopped at our town house and I felt Dimitri's arms wrapping around me. I struggled a little and took his hand. I let him pull me along until we were inside. I made my way upstairs and only stripped my dress off before curling up into my bed.
When I woke up the next evening I was alone in bed. I got up and looked at the clock. It was almost nine. I threw on one of Dimitri's shirts sitting on top of the dresser and threw it on. I knew he probably would mind. When I went downstairs it was empty. My mother was gone and so was Dimitri. I went next door to find Eddie earring a bowl of cereal alone at the table. "Morning." He looked up at me with a groggy smile.
"Sorry Rose Im super hungover and I have to unpack all my stuff. Don't really want to talk right now." I rolled my eyes.
"Where is everyone?" He groaned.
"Your mother took Lissa and Christian to the feeders. Lord knows where your father is, and I don't know what the Russian is doing either. Please leave me alone." He rubbed his forehead and I laughed.
"To think you used to be my drinking buddy when..." I almost said 'Mason was busy', but my voice caught. It's like something was in my throat blocking his name from coming out. I heard Eddie groan again.
"You don't have to sensor yourself around me, Yah I WAS your drinking buddy, but now I'm a guardian, so that was the first drink I've had since we were at the lodge. You don't have any room to make fun of me anyways, Mom." His comments wasn't meant to be hurtful, it was the usual sarcasm and jokes, but I stormed out anyways. Being called mom just really irked me.
I went back into my side of the complex to try and figure out where Dimitri might have went. Luckily, just as I walked into the kitchen, I heard the front door open. I peaked around the corner to see Dimitri walk in covered in sweat. I think I startled him when I spoke.
"So comrade, you getting out of shape, because you might be off duty right now, but soon you'll have me and the mini wild child to chase after." He gave me a small smile. "Seriously, why are you so sweaty?" He took a huge sip from his water bottle.
"Just that, I didn't really work out last month, probably why I ended up with stitches too." I think my face showed the dark mindset brought on by the memories of that strigoi attack, because he quickly changed his tone. "But I'll be up and running ready for trouble in no time."
"Are you saying I'm trouble." My words were playful.
"The best kind of trouble. I'm going to shower but I'll take you to the gym for a little bit after." I planted a quick kiss on his lips.
"Thank you." With that he went upstairs and I was left alone again. The word mom popped into my head again. I climb up stairs and found a pair of clothes Lissa had bought and threw them on. I didn't own a jacket that was big enough to fit anymore, so I went to look for one of Dimitri's dusters. Just as I passed the nursery the word mom popped back into me head. I took a step back and then peered my head inside. I felt like I was kid with their hand in the cookie jar, like I wasn't supposed to go in there.
I liked just being in the room, it's calming for some reason. I sat in the rocking chair and started to doze off. I nearly had a heart attack when I heard a knock at the door. Dimitri was smiling and me.
"I, I, um..." I didn't really know what to say. He walked over and offered him hand. But I didn't take it. "I don't really want to go to the gym anymore, besides you already got your workout of the day." He lifted me up a little and slid me onto his lap. He rocked the chair but didn't say anything. "I'm not ready for this." I said it so quietly I wasn't sure I even said it out loud." However when he answered he made me feel more uneasy than before.
"You're not." I looked up to face him. "You'll only be ready when it happens, You just do your best." I relaxed a little. His answer was genuine and had room for error which made me feel better for some reason.
"Can I ask you something?" He gave me the 'no-duh' look he some times does, but I shook my head. "No, seriously, don't take it the wrong way though."
"Rose, you can ask me anything."
"Did you only propose to me because I'm pregnant?" He seemed more shocked than hurt.
"No, of course not. I love you and I wanted to."
"No, I mean, like this soon. I'm only eighteen, would you have waited if you didn't get me knocked up." Dimitri didn't like that expression and it was evident in the distaste on his face.
"I'm not sure, I know I waited until I thought you were mature enough, but this pregnancy has aged you faster than even Mason Ashford's death, so no probably no. But don't over think this Roza, I love you and that's it."
"I love you too... and the ring. It's beautiful." It was a simple gold band but unlike every other ring I've ever seen it doesn't have diamond on it. The golden band was engraved with tiny roses all the was round. "But I don't want to get married..." I didn't get to finish my sentence before Dimitri's face showed clear signs of panic. "Yet! Don't freak out comrade, that's my job. I just don't want to, my life is already crazy enough. I just want to wait til I'm like twenty, I feel like then I'll be settled and have the time to let Lissa plan an unnecessarily huge wedding." I sat on his lap on the rocking chair for a while until I fell asleep. Eventually I woke up and he was still rocking back and forth stoking my hair.
"Are you sure you're okay with me just falling asleep all the time." He smiled.
"Well good morning to you too."
"Wait what?!"
"It's fine. I was nice just relaxing all day for once, it don't get to do that often."
"No, no, what time is it."
"Almost five." I groaned and then got up. However I didn't take into account that the chair was moving back and forth and I was still sleepy. I landed on all fours, yet somehow didn't hurt myself at all. In almost an instant Dimitri was practically laying on the floor to make sure I was okay. I laughed, but took his help to get up anyways.
"I'm okay please don't baby me that much. I'm not Humpty Dumpty, I can keep it together after a little abuse." He kissed my forehead.
"Do you still want to go to the gym?" I was about to say yes but I remembered something.
"No, your sister and mother are here, and you spent all day with me in a rocking chair. Go spend time with them."
"I will when they wake up, they decided to stay on their daylight schedule since they're only coming for a few days."
"All the more reason to spend time with them." I held up my hand with the ring on it. "I'm gonna be here forever so you might as well make the most of your time with them."
"How about we go to the gym for a hour and when we get back we can make a nice breakfast for them. Pancakes for dinner?"
"Well if you throw pancakes into the mix then of course they can wait." He smiled and then took off his duster and threw it over my shoulders.
"Let's go."

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