I saw a woman stand and brandish a gun in the direction of the stage. I heard a shot followed by two others. Then I looked at the stage and saw my daughter's shocked expression, the red of blood splashed across her dress.

"Down!" I heard Pavel shout before my face hit the utilitarian gray short weave carpet, and six-feet-four-inches of lard, lean muscle threw himself on top of me. And then all hell broke loose.

There was screaming and hysteria, people trying to storm the exits. It took a moment or two for the lights to come up, and then Alberta's voice came over the PA issuing instructions to the Guardians before asking the audience to exit the hall calmy and assemble outside in the commons. During all this, Pavel was frantically issuing instructions into his lapel radio, his earpiece chirping as his Guardians reported in. Finally, he rolled off me, holding his hand out to help me up.

"Why Pavel – I never knew you felt that way," I joked in shock. Pavel and I had been through a lot over the years, but it was a surprise to be reminded it was life and death sometimes.

Looking around me, it was hard to make sense of what I was seeing. On the stage, I could see Belikov surrounded by several crouching Guardians. He was lying flat, and he wasn't moving, so I couldn't tell his status. Likewise, there was a crowd of Guardians surrounding the row where the gunwoman had been. Finally, I looked across to see Janine Hathaway flanked by three Guardians.

"You need to come with us Guardian Hathaway," one of them said nervously. He was holding a pair of handcuffs, but looked loathe to use them. "We've been asked to take you to the holding cells just while all this is being figured out."

She nodded in assent, reaching into her pockets and handing over her stakes, a knife, her firearm and her own handcuffs.

On the other side of the hall, I could see a shell-shocked young Guardian, nineteen or twenty at the most, in handcuffs being led away.

"Rose?" I asked, looking at Pavel almost too afraid to ask.

"Has been secured at the infirmary. I need to remove you from here now," Pavel said tersely, looking about him still on high alert.

The hall wasn't far from the infirmary, and I could hear my daughter as soon as we entered through the outer electric doors. She was shouting at the top of her lungs. Not sure what sight awaited me, Pavel led me to a room where I found Rose standing beside a hospital bed, handcuffed to it by one wrist.

"I'm sorry Mr. Mazur," Fernandes reported nervously as Rose was screaming abuse at him, using language I didn't think an eighteen-year-old would know. "We had a difficult time getting her away, and she keeps trying to get to Belikov, so we had to handcuff her."

"Abe! What's happened to Dimitri? No one's telling me anything? You have to make them let me go! I need to see Dimitri!"

The girl was frantic, trying to wrench her hand from the handcuff restraining her.

"Rose calm down," I ordered in a slightly shaky voice. "Pavel will get an update on Dimitri now. Please sit down and relax. I promise you as soon as we know more, you can go to him." Nodding, Pavel left my side heading back out to the hall to discover the fate of my son-in-law.

"I should be with him now!" Rose shouted, angry tears coursing down her face.

Now I could see her properly, I could see the red staining on her dress wasn't as substantial as I'd initially thought. And it obviously wasn't hers. Which only left one option.

"It's his blood!" she shouted, correctly interpreting the direction of my gaze. "He's hurt, and he needs me! I need to be there with him!"

I could see anguish and fear in her eyes, and I was about to order Kirk to hand over the handcuff keys when I heard a commotion outside. Opening the door cautiously, I saw a stretcher being wheeled past. A sheet was pulled over a form, but there was blood soaking into the cover in several spots.

"Put the body into the far cubicle and post two guards," the weary voice of the female doctor could be heard ordering.

While Rose couldn't hear or see what I had, she knew something was going on and went nuts. I honestly thought she was going to tear her hand off trying to get out the door to see what was happening. This would no doubt have continued had we not heard another voice.

"She's pregnant and will be panicking!" a Russian accented voice was bellowing. "It's dangerous for her to stress, and she's not going to calm down until she sees me! Roza?! Roza where are you?!"

Thank the Lord! It was Belikov – and by the sounds of it, he was well enough to create quite a ruckus. A moment later Dimitri was wheeled into the room on a gurney. There was a tourniquet on his upper left arm, and his uniform shirt had been cut free, but he appeared well enough. Pavel was accompanying him.

"Milaya, I'm ok," he soothed, trying to get up from the gurney to get to where Rose was handcuffed to the bed. "It's just a flesh wound." Rose had finally stopped screaming, but she was still pulling at the cuff trying to escape.

"Release her! Get her a warm blanket," Dimitri barked at Kirk, while the female doctor came in to assess his injuries. "Please, Dr. Olendzki. It's just a flesh wound. Take care of Roza first!"

"Dimitri's right, Rose. You have to calm down. Lie down on the bed, please. On your left side. I'll wheel Dimitri next to you while I take a look at his injuries," the doctor said in an authoritative voice. "I need you to slip this oxygen mask on," she said, deftly placing a mask over Rose's mouth and nose.

Rose climbed onto the bed she'd been attached to, obediently lying on her left and reaching across to hold Dimitri's right hand as his trolley was placed beside her bed. Now she'd stopped shouting, the tears began in earnest.

"I'm ok Roza," Dimitri soothed, barely flinching as the doctor examined his arm. "Still here, still your man. But you need to relax. Junior needs you to be nice and calm, ok? I promise you I'm alright."

"You're right, Guardian Belikov. Just a flesh wound. There's a clear in and out and no critical structures hit. I'm going to need to sedate you and clean the wound and place some stitches, but I can't see there being any long-term damage. You were very lucky."

"See Roza? I'll be good as new," Dimitri soothed, looking at my daughter lovingly. "Now how about we get Dr. Olendzki to check you and Junior out?"

"Let's clear the room. I need to see to Guardian Belikov's wound, and then these two need to get some rest," the doctor ordered almost pushing us from the space.

"I'd like to set a guard to make sure they're not disturbed," Pavel said. I knew he was being cautious until the full state of affairs was known.

"I agree. Rose needs to stay calm," I added, with a pointed look in the direction where the trolley had been wheeled.

"Not a problem. No one is to come in or out of here without my express permission," the doctor said to Kirk and Fernandes who had taken up defensive positions flanking the door. "That includes you," she added looking at me suspiciously. "Who are you?"

I lifted my hands in concession.

"I'm Abe Mazur, Belikov's employer. We're here together for Rose's graduation. I'll send someone over with some fresh clothing for them both. I expect they'll be staying overnight?"

"Dr. Olendzki," she greeted shaking my hand. "Yes, I'd like to keep an eye on them tonight."

"Come on Pavel. We have other business to attend to," I said, my voice steely.

I sat in my office and closed the door. I needed five minutes just to straighten my thoughts. Taking a cleansing breath, I made several calls; to the infirmary, to Ellen Kirova where she was in lockdown with Priscilla Voda, to Mitchell Erskine at Court, to Art Schoenberg and finally to Guardian Alto.

Presently, the Academy was on lockdown. I'd grounded all aircraft from landing or taking off, and the exits had been immediately secured. The graduation ceremony was a complete disaster, and there were numerous panicked families in the commons demanding answers. What a fiasco! I'd just poured myself a coffee when there was a knock at the door.

"It's Art."

"Come in," I said with a sigh.

"How are they?" he asked flopping onto my sofa.

"Both alright. Belikov has a minor flesh wound," I replied, grateful this tragedy wasn't so much worse.

"So what are your plans?" he asked, giving me the opportunity to flesh out my thoughts.

"I'd like to clear the campus as quickly as possible. I've asked Princess Voda to make an address over the PA informing people that it is an isolated, contained event and that there is no ongoing risk. She will ask people to remain in the commons where she and Ellen will stand at the far corner and finish handing out the diplomas. Tonight's graduation dance will be canceled, and I will be requesting the new Guardians' assistance coordinating immediate departures, making sure every seat on every plane, car or van is filled and leaves campus as soon as practicable. I've alerted Court, and Guardian Erskine has said he is happy for you to act on behalf of the Council with his full authority. There'll no doubt need to be a hearing…" I said, looking at the papers in front of me.

"Yes. Yes, there will be," Art said with a sigh.

"I've sent Guardian Alto to get Christian Ozera. Ellen is going to be busy smoothing things with the families, so I was hoping you could be here as a Council Representative when I tell him?"

"Yes. I thought you might," Art said, indicating that's why he was in his formal dress uniform.

There was another knock at the door.

"Guardian Alto with Lord Christian Ozera and Princess Vasilisa Dragomir," Stan announced formally.

"Please, take a seat," I said calmly to Lissa and Christian. "Please wait outside Guardian Alto."

"She's dead, isn't she?" Christian said flatly once the door had closed, looking at me with unwavering eyes.

"I'm afraid so, Lord Ozera," I said using his formal title although all I saw in front of me was a scared young man who'd just lost the last member of his immediate family. Lissa's hands grabbed his supportively.

"What happened? I want to know the details," he said, his voice catching.

"Investigations are still being made," I started, noticing him start to interject, "but as far as we can tell, after your aunt discharged her gun, two Guardians drew and fired on her. We believe they both made potentially fatal shots. At this stage, we're not sure which was ultimately responsible for her demise."

"Both Guardians have been detained, and there'll be a full inquiry by the Guardian's Council and formal charges laid if relevant," Art said seriously.

"Yeah, because the Guardian's Council will charge a Guardian over shooting the crazy sister of a Strigoi," Christian said acrimoniously.

"If there are grounds to, or protocol wasn't followed, then yes, they will be charged and tried," Art said.

"Are Rose and Guardian Belikov alright?" Lissa asked, looking at me nervously.

"They're both in the infirmary. Guardian Belikov stepped in front of Rose, so the bullet hit him, but it was a superficial wound. Rose was not hit, but there's concern about the stress on her and the baby. She's already had high blood pressure, so there's a risk of her going into pre-term labor," I explained.

"They'll be fine. They're the ones who caused all this, yet they'll both walk away," Christian snapped.

Lissa looked furious at his words but didn't say anything. She could tell it was his grief speaking.

"She's really gone?" he whispered, looking up at Lissa with tears in his eyes.

"She is, Christian. And I'm so sorry. But she wasn't well, darling. Try and forget these last few months and remember her the way she was when you were growing up."

"I suppose I'll have to organize her funeral?" he murmured.

"We can worry about that tomorrow. Let's go back to my dorm room now before everyone leaves the commons," she suggested.

I nodded.

"I'll place a guard at your door. If you need anything let them know," I said.

"Can I see Rose?" Lissa asked apprehensively.

"Not at the moment. Dr. Olendzki is adamant she needs to be kept calm. She hasn't been told about Tasha, yet."

"Well if you see her tell her I love her," she said sadly, wrapping her arm around her devastated boyfriend and leaving the room escorted by Guardian Alto.

"No matter how many times I have to do that, it never gets any easier," I commented to Art sadly once they'd left. "Now. Let's get everything sorted."

"Tell her a lawyer is here to offer his services," I said confidently, standing in front of the Guardians who were guarding the holding cells. "Tell her it's Abe Mazur."

"Abe?" Janine gaped as I was shown into a cell with a table and two chairs.

"You can leave us, I am in no danger here," I said to the Guardians who'd escorted me in. "Lawyer-client privilege. My Guardian will stay," I reassured them. "Section eighteen, clause five a," I recited as they were flipping through the guidelines book determining whether someone detained, yet not charged, was permitted legal representation.

"You knew that off the top of your head?" Janine asked in surprise once they'd left.

I grinned.

"No. I looked it up on the way here. So it's been a long time…" I said, looking at a woman I barely knew, yet was tied to in one of the most intimate ways possible.

"Nineteen years almost to the day," she said looking at me with a thousand questions in her eyes. "Why are you here?"

"I'm here to see our daughter graduate," I said steadily, watching her reaction.

"So you know. For how long? And is she ok?"

"Yes she's alright, and I found out a few months ago."

"Alberta," Janine muttered to herself. "Does Rosemarie know?"

"No. When I was told, she was in a bad situation. She had no family, no money, her friends had turned their backs on her, and the father was missing presumed turned. She was pregnant and completely alone. While I didn't intend to become personally involved, I had a certain curiosity, so I visited in the guise of a lawyer representing her father. I planned to set her up with a house and an annuity so she wouldn't be forced into anything compromising to support herself and the child."

"And since then?"

"Well, Belikov's reappearance meant the nature of my help needed adjusting," I explained.

"Yes. I saw them all over each other yesterday. How does he fit into this?"

That was unexpected. I didn't appreciate she didn't know.

"Janine? Dimitri is the father of Rose's baby."

"Don't be silly, Abe. Dhampir can't reproduce together."

"Yes well – that's what they thought, too. They didn't realize the changes that occurred when Lissa brought Rose back to life."

"When she what?! Slow the hell down and tell me everything, Abe."

"You didn't know Rose died? In the accident that killed the Dragomirs?"

"No," she whispered looking stricken.

"Well she did, and the Princess Dragomir used a rare ability called spirit to bring her back to life. She healed her to the point where there was not a scratch on her. But as well as healing her injuries, we believe she healed her ability to procreate with another Dhampir."

"I had no idea," Janine gasped. "So what else?"

"Well it looks like Rose and Dimitri fell in love while he was mentoring her, but they didn't act on it until Dimitri was reallocated and sent on a suicide mission. There were five days between him being told and him leaving, and they spent those last few days together."

"And that's when she fell pregnant," Janine grimaced.

"Yes. Neither of them had any idea it was possible. By the time she discovered she was pregnant, he was deployed and then captured by Strigoi. He was believed killed or turned."

"What happened between her and Lissa? And why did Tasha Ozera want her dead?"

"Tasha Ozera had a fixation on Belikov. She wanted him to be her Guardian and also the father of her children. A couple of days after you last spoke with Rose, she told Lissa about the pregnancy, and Lissa didn't believe her about the father. She's dating Tasha Ozera's nephew and believed Tasha's assertions of a relationship between herself and Belikov. Lissa turned her back on Rose, and Christian told his aunt about the paternity of the baby. Tasha came to campus and told everyone about the pregnancy and even tried to attack Rose."

"What a mess," Janine said running her fingers through her short ginger curls. "So Belikov came back?"

"Yes. Rose was struggling with the news of his capture and had been emailing him almost like a sort of journal. He escaped his captors and made it back to his family. While he was there, he read her emails about the pregnancy. He got the first flights to get back to the Academy to be with her. I ended up giving him a lift from LA to St. Vladimir's when I was coming here myself to meet Rose. He was at the service counter asking for the quickest way to Missoula, and Pavel here spotted his molnija and asked where he was going. I didn't know at the time he was our daughter's lover."

"The Novosibirsk mission?" she queried looking at me shrewdly, quickly putting the pieces together the same as I had.

I nodded, noting her eyes widen.

"It was proving hard to find a new allocation which suited a young man with a family, so I bought a property outside Court and have taken Dimitri on as a private Guardian supervising the permanent force in residence there. He's rebuilding a cottage on site for them all to live in. Tasha set fire to Rose and Dimitri's dorm rooms here at the Academy on Rose's birthday, so since then they've been living on my property, and Rose has been flying in for exams. No one here except Alberta knows exactly where they are, and they've told no one that Rose's father has made contact via his lawyer - me. Tasha had no way of tracking them, so we suspected she'd be at graduation."

"And I shot her," Janine replied.

"Yes. From what I can ascertain three shots were fired. Hers plus two others - your shot, and one made by an Ivashkov Guardian. Both successful."

"She's dead?"

"Instantly."

"What a mess. How's Belikov?"

"He'll be alright. He has a flesh wound on the upper arm, but it's not dangerous."

"And he's sticking by her? And the baby?"

"He took a bullet for her, Janine. He adores her. I'll be the first to admit I was predisposed to think poorly of a man that got his seventeen-year-old student pregnant, but when you see them together - they've got the real deal."

"Yes, but will it last? And what will she do with her life? Be a mother?!"

"There are no guarantees in life, but he's been there for her. I'm not sure she's decided what to do going forward, but she's got time to figure it out. Belikov is on the Guardian Council now, and they have a home with me for as long as they want one. She said something about wanting to travel, so in time they might want to spend some time in some of my other homes. I'm a man of very significant means, Janine. I can make whatever she wants happen."

"You sound like you care?" she said, not in a nasty way. More like she was surprised.

"I wouldn't have been ready nineteen years ago. But I like her. I can see myself in her," I chuckled. "I know I wasn't there for all the hard years – but I'm here now, and I want to be part of her life. I might not be much of a father, but I guess I'm better than none at all."

"I'm glad, Abe. I don't know you, and you don't know me. We had what – twelve hours together nearly twenty years ago. But I've always felt guilty about not telling you, and you're right. She deserves some family. I'm glad you can be that for her. I suppose you know I gave her up?"

"Yes, Alberta told me. But you were surprised. Finding out your seventeen-year-old daughter is pregnant would be a shock."

"Not then, Abe. I signed her away when she was four. To the Academy. It was too late by the time I realized I was pregnant; I had to continue with the pregnancy. I never wanted to be a mother. I was too young, and I was alone. I wasn't ready to make the sort of sacrifices I needed to. I counted down the days until I could sign her over. I hated having to visit. Every time I'd see or think about her, all I could feel was guilt and shame. So I tried not to think about her. I might have disowned her when she told me she was pregnant, but I haven't considered myself her mother in years." The last words she whispered shamefully.

"Then I'm sorry for you, Janine. You've missed knowing an incredible young woman."

"So Alberta tells me," she said with a sigh.

"It doesn't have to be too late, you know," I said, although it was with misgivings. It was selfish, but I liked being the only parent involved in Rose's life - even if she didn't know I was her father.

"Yes, it is. Belikov read me the riot act the other day. Said I'd done a 'lifetime of damage' and he was right. The kindest thing I can do is go away and stay away."

"She's not a four-year-old anymore, Janine. She deserves the right to decide that."

"She deserves to know the truth about who you are, too," Janine countered.

"I know. I'm just worried that once she knows who I am she won't want me to be a part of her life."

"She deserves the right to decide that," she repeated back to me.

I laughed.

"Well do us a favor and let me be the one to tell her, ok?"

"Shall do. I doubt she'll want to speak with me anyway. So are you really a lawyer, or was that an excuse to get in to see me?"

"I am, although admittedly I don't practice often. I can tell you you're likely to be remanded in custody pending a hearing of the Guardian Council early next week. Off the record, Tasha's done this before, and there's a mountain of Guardian reports about it. She obsessed about Belikov's former charge and after he was killed she transferred her affections to Dimitri. The most likely outcome is you, and the other Guardian will be found to have acted appropriately given the threat, the fact Rose was standing beside Princess Voda and that Tasha fired first. A big point in your favor will be that you were completely unaware of the issue between Rose and Tasha."

"So I'll have to tell the whole Guardian Council I've been a useless mother. Great," she said sarcastically.

"You don't have to go the full hog. Just tell them you had a falling out with Rose when she told you she was pregnant and haven't spoken since. Although – this could be the opportunity to reconcile…?"

"You make it sound so easy," she murmured. "You don't get it. It's not in me to be a typical Mom."

"Then don't be a typical Mom to her. Offer her what you can. It's only as complicated as you make it, Janine."

"I already know about Tasha," I said to Dr. Olendzki and Alberta when they came to check on us the next morning. Dimitri was still sleeping thanks to the sedative Dr. Olendzki had given him when cleaning and stitching his arm. "And I know Christian blames us. I got sucked into Lissa's head when you told she and Christian," I explained to Alberta.

"How does that make you feel?" Dr. Olendzki probed.

"Relieved," I whispered. "I'm sorry for Christian, and I'm sorry it ended the way it did, but I'm grateful we don't have to live looking over our shoulders. I hope in time Christian knows we didn't want her to die."

I paused for a moment. I did feel sorry she'd died and died how she had.

"How's my blood pressure? Is everything ok with Junior?"

"It's still up a little, but I'm thinking of discharging you anyway. I know you hate being in here, and I suspect you'll be more relaxed back at home and away from all this. How does that sound?" Dr. Olendzki asked.

"Honestly that's a wish come true. I just want to go home and forget this happened. How soon can we leave?"

"I'll check on Dimitri when he wakes, but unless there's something untoward, I'll clear you both to fly immediately. I'll need you to continue with your blood pressure checks every four hours for a week, and I've arranged a trusted colleague at Court to take care of you both. She doesn't know it's a Dhampir/Dhampir pregnancy, but she knows I'm keeping a very close eye on you and that you may choose to deliver here. If you don't, I have no hesitation recommending her if you want to have your baby closer to home."

"I still want to have Junior here," I said straight away. "I can't explain it – it's just where I feel it needs to happen."

"That's fine," Alberta said decisively. "Like I said, this is still your home."

"Thanks, Alberta," I said, reaching out to hug the older woman. I was too embarrassed to tell her one of the reasons I wanted to give birth at St. Vlad's was because she'd be here. But somehow I think she knew.

"So will you be telling everyone where you're based now?" she asked.

"Well… funny you mention that. Did I tell you that for my eighteenth my father gave me a car?!"

"A car?" Alberta gasped. "No!"

"He did! He didn't want me stuck on the property. So I was thinking between when Eddie and Mason arrive at Court and get their allocations, I might surprise them with a visit and drive them out to the property to see where we've ended up. They have no idea where Dimitri's allocated, so it should be a surprise!"

Alberta chuckled.

"Well – if it helps I don't suppose it hurts to tell you that there are three flights scheduled to Court – Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Allocations will be given out at Court on Friday. I could arrange for Castile and Ashford to be on Monday's flight, so you have a few days together?"

"That would be perfect! Thanks, Alberta! Don't let anything slip, though."

"I won't," she promised.

"How's Christian going?" I asked. Since I'd heard what he said about Dimitri and I being responsible for Tasha's death, I'd intentionally kept out of Lissa's head.

"He hasn't said it, but I think part of him is relieved, too. He and Lissa are flying to Minneapolis tomorrow with a complement of Guardians to pack Tasha's home and wrap up her affairs there. They've decided on a quiet burial in Minneapolis with the humans she's spent the last few years living amongst."

It made sense. A Royal Moroi funeral would be hideous, and I knew Christian and Tasha were estranged from the rest of the Ozeras, so almost everyone who was there would be attending out of obligation or morbid curiosity. Better to spare Christian that.

We sat quietly for a moment, Alberta watching as I stroked the hair of my sleeping Russian God.

"This isn't the way I thought I'd finish high school," I muttered, running my other hand across my stomach. "Things have worked out very differently to how I thought."

"Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans, Rose," Alberta replied sagely as I rested my head against her shoulder.

-ooOOoo The End Part Two ooOOoo-