Somehow I knew Alberta was going to be at the landing strip to greet us. Usually, at St. Vlad's they'd leave the bus at the runway with the keys in the ignition, but when Dimitri helped me waddle down the stairs of the plane, Alberta was waiting with some Guardian from the junior campus.

"Look at you!" she said with a huge smile on her face, reaching forward to hug me.

"Yeah. Swollen ankles, which happily I can no longer see, and a belly so big it needs its own zip code. Pregnancy is wonderful," I bitched.

"There must be some good bits?" Alberta asked, the corner of her lip twitching.

"Belikov having to rescue Rose from the toilet on the plane was pretty funny," Kirk joked, stepping out of my reach before I could backhand him. "It was too low down, and she couldn't get up without help!"

"Kirk? Was that you volunteering to come back with a van by yourself to move all the baby equipment up to the guest quarters? Well, that's very generous of you," Pavel said giving the younger man a flat stare, reminding him not to antagonize the pregnant maniac e.g. me. Although it had been a good day, so far. Other than the meltdown when I couldn't find anything comfortable to wear, my freak out when I refused to come because I was worried about going to go into labor on the plane, and then getting stuck on the toilet on the plane and sitting there for twenty minutes before I could overcome my pride and call out for Dimitri to help me. I'd only cried twice so far today!

Poor Dimitri was at his wit's end with me. One moment I'd be all over him, wanting love, attention or sometimes some intimate satisfaction – then an hour later I'd be locking myself in the bathroom not wanting to be seen while so enormous and unattractive. I was giving the man whiplash with my mood swings, and he was doing his best not to get cranky with me; even when I decided at 2 am I wanted to organize the nursery differently, only to decide after an hour and a half of him moving the single bed, cot, change table, rocking chair and bookcase into different positions that I liked it best as it initially was.

"Now we've put you in a comfortable room in guest quarters, on the ground floor, so you don't have to climb any stairs. It's as far away from the other rooms as I can make it with so many staying, and I've put Dimitri's mother in the next unit, so you're nice and close but still have your own space," Alberta said kindly. "When's your mother arriving, Dimitri?"

"She's coming in with Abe's Guardians from Omsk tomorrow. They're flying into New York, then on to Chicago and Abe's plane will be bringing them the rest of the way," Dimitri answered in excitement. While he'd seen her a few months ago, it had been for mere hours. I knew my Russian God was eager to see his Mama. I was nervous as hell about meeting her. Who wants to meet their mother-in-law for the first time when they're thirty-seven weeks pregnant?!

"She's going to love you. In fact, she already does," Dimitri reassured me before I'd even opened my mouth. This was far from a new concern, so Dimitri knew the warning signs and headed me off at the pass.

Pretending not to see Dimitri's pleading looked to Alberta, I just went with it when the older Dhampir I all but considered my mother quickly continued, "Now you're welcome to go to the cafeteria or the Guardian's lounge if you want anything. The kitchen said to pop past if you want to collect ingredients to cook. You can order anything you want from their menu, but if you have something specific in mind to eat, they'll do their best to cook it if you give them some warning."

I nodded, just wanting to get into the air-conditioned bus. It must be close to ninety degrees out, and I couldn't cope with the heat.

Because we were in the summer holidays there'd only be a handful of students on campus; orphaned Dhampir or those signed over to the Academy as I'd been. The Academy was running on human time, using the absence of Moroi to accomplish the various maintenance tasks that needed doing, all of which were easier to do in daylight.

"The infirmary is all set up and ready. Dr. Olendzki suggested you rest today, and she'll go through it with you tomorrow, and you can discuss the particulars together," Alberta continued, taking the seat beside me and grasping my hand. I leaned my head against her shoulder closing my eyes as tears started trickling down my cheeks.

"Milaya?" Dimitri asked in loving exasperation.

"I'm just so happy to be back," I murmured, a little embarrassed to say it was more that I was glad to be back with Alberta.

They drove straight to the guest accommodations, and I could tell Alberta had put a lot of thought into the rooms. Ours was at the far end of the corridor – furthest from the gym and the other areas Abe's Guardians would be using for their two and a half week training camp. The master room had a king and a single bed in it. While these days Guardians rarely slept in the same room as their charges, except in situations of extreme danger, it was a good idea here; a couple of times recently Dimitri had come to bed after me only to find me spread out on our large bed leaving no room for him.

I lay on the bed, noticing fresh flowers from the gardens on the side table and a stack of recent women's interest and pregnancy magazines beside the vase. And that made me cry again. Someone had put a lot of thought into making me as comfortable as possible.

"Shh Roza," Dimitri soothed, leaving the suitcase he was unpacking in the closet. He slipped his shoes and socks off, coming to lie next to me on the large bed. He cuddled up behind me, spooning me and whispering loving things into my ear. I didn't know why I was so moody and emotional, although apparently, it was normal in the final few weeks. "Do you want something to eat? A drink? Some sleep?"

"I don't know what I want," I admitted. "Definitely a cuddle," I quickly added as Dimitri moved slightly away from me on the bed.

"It's so hot, I thought I'd strip down," Dimitri said, quickly stepping out of his pants and shirt, and coming back towards the bed only in his boxers.

"Help me get my dress off?" I asked, waiting for him to come around to my side of the bed and give me a hand up. He steadied me as I pulled off my maxi dress and bra, deciding my panties could go, too. Lowering myself back onto the bed, I lay on my side, letting my handsome Russian God spoon me again.

"That feels better doesn't it, milaya?" he crooned softly, cuddling me against his chest, one hand resting possessively on my stomach.

"Hmm," I said picking up his hand and moving it to one of my breasts. "Now I feel better," I replied.

Heeding my unspoken cue, my lover set to work, kissing my neck.

"Do you still find me attractive?" I asked, wondering how my man could still desire me when I was so large and constantly bad tempered.

"Does this answer your question?" he whispered into my ear, pushing the start of his arousal against me.

"Do you have a kinky thing about sex with pregnant women, Comrade?" I giggled, placing my hand on top of his where he was massaging my breast.

"Just you. Only ever you, Roza."

"Damn right!" I murmured, reaching behind me to pull his boxers down. Lifting his hips from the bed he quickly discarded his underwear, leaving nothing to separate us. He entered me almost lazily; as though the lovemaking were secondary to the reassuring, gentle affection we were sharing. Given how unsatisfying my orgasms had been in the last few weeks, another thing the books assured me was normal, it probably was more about the connection for me now.

I knew it was silly - Dimitri had never been more loving or devoted than he had been these last few weeks - but it was as though I needed constant reassurance from him.

By the time we'd enjoyed our lovemaking, and I'd had a little sleep, the heat of the day had passed, and a pleasant breeze had sprung up, so I suggested a stroll around campus. I could tell my man was a little tense; he was worried about meeting the Guardians from Abe's other houses. As the newest commander and the youngest, I knew he felt he had something to prove.

"You're going to do fine, Comrade," I reassured him, reminding myself I wasn't the only one who had a bit on their mind right now. Dimitri was also about to become a parent, he had a lot going on at work with the training camp for the Mazur Guardians, and he had a hormonal out of control girlfriend on his hands. No wonder the poor guy looked tired! I made a mental note to try and be a bit less clingy and crazy and let the poor man do his job over the next few weeks.

"Mama!" my Russian God said with a massive smile, scooping a surprisingly small woman into his arms and swinging her around. I was almost a little jealous; I'd never seen him so affectionate with anyone like that bar me!

"Dimka!" she said in her thick accent, followed by a string of rapid Russian.

I was sitting in the passenger seat of one of the Academy SUVs, the engine and air-conditioning still running. I wanted to give them their moment together. Abe's plane had come in almost fully loaded, so the Academy bus would need to make two trips, but Dimitri had rightly insisted he'd meet his Mama at the runway and bring her straight back with us.

He'd just put her down and was turning to get her luggage when he saw an ancient woman gingerly climbing down the stairs of the plane, slapping at the young Guardian who was gallantly trying to assist her.

"Babushka?!" Dimitri gasped, clearly stunned.

She answered him in Russian, opening her arms to demand a hug. Complying immediately, I saw his mother shrug and raise her hands in a 'what did you expect me to do' gesture behind the older woman's back.

"Right. Where is she?" I could hear the old woman demand. "I want to meet the woman who stole your heart." I opened the car door and walked across to where Dimitri stood between his mother and grandmother, looking at me apologetically.

"Olena," I greeted nervously, waddling towards my man's mother.

"Oh Rose!" she said lovingly, opening her arms up to me immediately and giving me a huge hug. "May I?" she asked, gesturing to the lump between us that was my belly. I nodded shyly. Dimitri had explained his mother delivered babies in their hometown, and while she wasn't a qualified midwife, poor Dhampir women relied on her expertise – and the local hospital had no qualms about calling her in when they encountered a difficult delivery.

"Baby's a good size," she commented encouragingly. "You're doing a wonderful job."

"Thank you," I said bashfully. We'd spoken over on the phone and Skype often, but it was our first meeting, and I was still apprehensive.

"Let me introduce you to my mother. This is Yeva, my mother, and Dimka's grandmother," Olena said, not taking her hand off my stomach.

I smiled at the wizened woman.

"Pleased to meet you Yeva." If I was scared to meet Olena, I was terrified of her mother!

"Hmph," the older woman grunted, clearly unimpressed. "I am a grandmother and now a great-grandmother three times over. You will call me Babushka like my grandson does," she said imperiously, turning back to her grandson. "Why do you have your pregnant love, your mother and I scalding in this heat? Help us to the car, Dimka!"

Dimitri obediently went to help his grandmother to the SUV, only to be slapped away.

"Help your beloved!" she snapped. "She's heavily pregnant, and it's hot!"

Suitably chastised, my Russian God came over to help me, looking every part the scolded schoolboy.

"I'm so sorry," he muttered. "I had no idea she was coming, too."

"It's ok, Comrade," I whispered back as he helped me up into the vehicle. "Now get their luggage before you get in trouble!" I giggled.

In the car, Dimitri took them the most picturesque way to the guest quarters – up the main driveway through the avenue of hundred-year-old trees.

"This is where you grew up?" Olena asked kindly. "It's beautiful."

"I suppose it is," I commented, thinking about it for the first time. "I wanted to escape it for so long. I couldn't wait to leave. But now I have a home of my own, I do find I miss the place."

The unit Alberta had allocated for Olena had two bedrooms, so there was already room for Babushka. Dimitri carried their luggage through to their unit and checked whether they were tired or whether they'd like to catch up. They knew that Dimitri would have to work tomorrow, so they elected to freshen up and join us for a late lunch/early afternoon tea in our unit. I'd rung the kitchen earlier, explaining my mother in law would be arriving that afternoon and I wanted a spread to impress. They'd come up with the goods; fresh date scones, a large platter of mixed sandwiches and another of petit four. The kitchen must have been holding out – I'd never seen them make anything this nice while I was a student here!

Dimitri insisted on making tea, making the strongest brew I'd ever seen with lemon in a teapot and then bringing another pot with boiling water, plus milk and jam. I had no idea what he was doing, but it must be how it was done in his home, as neither his mother or grandmother raised an eyebrow.

We were sitting in the little living room in our unit. Dimitri and I were sitting side by side on the sofa, his mother and grandmother each seated in armchairs. Babushka fell asleep where she was sitting after half an hour, something which must also be normal because neither Olena or Dimitri seemed surprised by it. Olena and Dimitri kept up a constant chatter, the former asking me lots of questions about the pregnancy and our new lives near Court.

We were sitting chatting when there was a knock at the door. I went to rise, but Dimitri stopped me with a single look. Unfolding himself in that graceful way of his, I couldn't help but admire him as he went to the door, one hand on his stake defensively.

"Dimitri!" Abe greeted happily, "I heard your mother and grandmother have arrived safely, so I've come to pay my respects."

Dimitri gestured for Abe and Pavel to enter. Olena looked a little perturbed by the flashy mobster but accepted his greeting cordially. Babushka opened one eye and commented, "He looks like a fox, but smells like a wolf. Join us for tea, Zmey, Pavel." Dimitri blushed, admonishing his grandmother for her rudeness calling Abe by his nickname, reminding her that Abe was his employer and he'd generously transported her here on his plane.

Abe laughed.

"Don't fuss. Your grandmother and I go back a long way, don't we Yeva?" he said, presenting the woman with what looked to be a very expensive bottle of cognac.

"We do," she agreed, reaching into the net bag she carried with her, pulling out a battered tin and passing it to Abe. He opened the tin and looked inside with a huge grin.

"You've always baked the best cookies, Yeva," he acknowledged, shutting the tin and putting it beside his chair.

Dimitri made another pot of tea and brought it to the coffee table, and for the next hour, Abe and Pavel outlined all the many changes Dimitri had made to the property, the security enhancements and the building of the little cottage. I commented where necessary, but mostly Dimitri and I let the older people speak. I excused myself at one point to use the toilet; two cups of tea and a pregnant women's bladder were not conducive to comfort! As I came back into the room, Yeva was laying into Abe about something.

"Better to be slapped by the truth than kissed with a lie," she cautioned.

"I know," Abe said looking unsure of himself. It wasn't a look I was used to seeing on him, but when I looked to Dimitri for an explanation, he just shrugged as if to say my guess was as good as his.

"Roza – we should go check out the infirmary and speak with Dr. Olendzki," Dimitri suggested. "I'll be working from tomorrow, so I'd like to be across all the details for when the baby arrives," he said looking nervous.

"The baby will come when and how the baby comes," Yeva said dismissively. "Nothing any man plans will make any difference."

"I know that Babushka," Dimitri said, exasperation evident in his voice. "But I'll feel a lot better knowing what to expect and how best to support Rose, alright?"

"Mama! Leave him alone. It's different over here. Some men even attend the birth!" Olena exclaimed.

"Silly practice. Birthing is a woman's domain. A man will only get in the way," Yeva maintained.

I looked at my Russian God in alarm. It hadn't occurred to me that he might not be there when I labored.

"Comrade?"

"Of course I'll be there," he said lovingly, pulling me into his manly embrace. "I've already missed enough. I'm not going to miss our little princess arriving."

"Our little prince," I corrected, and we both laughed.

"You'll be much more comfortable in the water," Celeste tempted. "And you'll be weightless…"

I was tempted. The temperature was tipped to hit ninety today. It was still early in the day, but already you could tell it was going to be scorching. I'd been tossing and turning all night, even with the air conditioner running.

"Alberta has scheduled the Academy Guardians to work down the other end of the campus, and the Mazur Guardians will be in the gym. There'll just be us, although Alberta said she might pop down a little later for a quick swim herself."

"You might not want to, but I will," Yeva said decisively standing from where she'd been sitting in the armchair she'd all but claimed as hers the day before.

"Good for you, Yeva!" Celeste said enthusiastically, her Guardian mask concealing any amusement she might have felt about the idea of Dimitri's elderly grandmother in a swimsuit. If a woman in her seventies were willing to give it a go, I would too.

I slipped into our room, looking at the two swimsuits in front of me. I immediately gravitated to the one piece but appreciated I was going to need help getting in and out of it, besides which I didn't think it would fit. So then I tried the bikini Alyce had insisted I would need and I had to concede she was right. I didn't look too bad. My breasts and legs looked good, and I didn't have any stretch marks thanks to the religious application of vitamin e cream. With my hair in a messy bun I put on some flip-flops, some cherry red lipgloss then grabbing a bag I stuffed it full with a tube of sun cream, a bottle of water, an enormous towel and a stack of magazines. My sunglasses perched on top of my head I was ready to set out. Celeste was right. Some floating in the pool was just what I needed!

Celeste and I waited for Yeva to appear which she did minutes later. Our curiosity regarding her swimsuit would have to wait as she was covered by a large bathrobe. Olena was with her carrying a book but not in a bathing suit.

"I didn't think to bring swimwear," she said a little sadly.

"You can try the one on my bed on if you want Olena?" I suggested. "It has ties at the back so we can tighten it for you, and I've never worn it."

She didn't take much convincing, and in five minutes we were all ready to go; Celeste and me in bikinis, the Belikov women wearing their swimsuits under large bathrobes.

We'd started the short walk to the swim pavilion and were chatting happily when we heard the stomp of feet coming our way. The unmistakable sound of a large group running together. I looked around, but there was nowhere to hide. So putting on my best 'don't fuck with me' attitude, I prepared for the bunch of thirty men who came running around the corner towards us.

I didn't know the runners at the front, but I could see Pavel wasn't far back, and in the middle was my Russian God, easily discernable, as he stood taller than the other runners.

"Hey, Rosie!" Kirk called out as they approached. "You're looking sexy!"

Although he was a few years older than Dimitri, the two guys had developed a friendship over the last few months, Kirk becoming Dimitri's unofficial second. He reminded me quite a bit of Mason, and we'd quickly fallen into a similar jovial mucking around. Of course, his comments weren't particularly welcome right now, especially when they caused the ribald tittering that they did. I could see my Russian God about to break a tooth he was clenching his jaw so tight.

"Bite me, Kirk," I laughed.

"Keep running," Pavel barked to his men, as he slowed down and came over to us.

"Ladies," he acknowledged. "Off to enjoy the pool?"

Yeva said something which I suspect roughly translated to 'no shit, genius' in Russian. Whatever it was, it caused Olena to look horrified and rebuke her mother before apologizing to Pavel.

"I'm sorry for my mother's rudeness," she said in English. "Sometimes she forgets to use her manners."

Pavel chuckled.

"Not at all. She reminds me of my own Babushka," he said with a smile. "Let me know when you're done there for the day. I'll let the Guardians know they're not to go near the pool until you're finished."

Taking his leave with our thanks, we continued to the pool.

"Didn't see anything there that took your fancy?" I teased Celeste. I was under no illusions that all of the admiring glances, bar one, would have been focused on her.

"No," she said in a disgruntled tone.

I looked at her curiously, deciding to wait until there was just the two of us to press her further. The pool area was massive, and as promised we had it to ourselves. Just as well, given Yeva's bathing suit. Or should I say dress? I'd never seen anything like it. Black, and made from cotton, it was the sort of bathing dress I associated with the turn of the century; and not this one – the one before it!

"Mama!" Olena shrieked, covering her mouth with her hand. "What are you wearing?"

"It's my swim suit," Yeva said proudly.

"I'm sorry," Olena said to Celeste and me, doing her best to contain her mirth. "I didn't know she still had that. I haven't seen her wear it since I was a child."

"It's from my days at St. Basil's," Yeva said. Well – that would explain the modesty aspect of it. "I got it when I was Rose's age – and look – it still fits!" she announced proudly.

"Only just," Celeste muttered under her breath. The swimsuit was much tighter than I suspect it was intended to be. To be honest, I was amazed Yeva had managed to get herself into it. Too scared to be caught laughing at the cantankerous old lady, I grabbed Celeste's hand and pulled her over to the stairs muttering under my breath, "Present for Yeva for Christmas? New swimsuit!"

Celeste and I exploded into laughter but covered it by jumping into the refreshing water.

"Ohh! This is so good," I moaned, making my way into the deep end where I fetched the pool noodles floating on the surface. Draping my arms over two, and passing the others to Celeste to do likewise, we floated side by side out of earshot of Olena and Yeva who were paddling in the shallow end. "So… any particular reason you didn't even look at those Guardians sidewise?"

Celeste sighed. "Maybe…"

"Who is he?" I gasped. "Spill!"

"There's nothing to tell," she said looking supremely disappointed about the fact. "You know that night before graduation how you were freaking out about your Mom?'

"Yes?"

"Well, I was on my way over to see you when I bumped into Art. He wanted to see D, so he walked across with me. He complimented me on my role in the trials that afternoon. He was half flirting, or I think he was. It was kind of hard to tell. He looked like he wanted to say something, but we were interrupted. Anyway, before we got to your unit, he asked whether I was coming to Court over the break. He said he'd take a couple of days off to show me around."

"Ohh! How exciting! There's nothing to see at Court – I wonder what he had planned?"

"Well, I didn't get to find out, because I got recalled from leave because of the Romanian Measles, didn't I?"

"How did he take it? I asked. "I mean he would have known it was a genuine reason. That you weren't blowing him off…" I asked.

"He didn't give much away when I rang him. He sounded disappointed, but like he didn't want to make me feel bad."

"Have you spoken to him since?"

"No," she said in a small voice. "I keep trying to come up with a reason, but I don't know if he's interested and I don't want to look as though I'm stalking the guy!"

"But you need to let him know you're interested, Celeste! Or at least that you're thinking of him!"

"How?"

"Well, why don't you go visit your family for Christmas this year instead of them coming to St. Vlad's? That way you could tie in a side trip to Court?"

"Not Christmas. My father spends it with his extended Moroi family. They're ok with Stella because they think he and Mom had her after he'd left his Moroi wife, but they've always been funny about me because I'm older than his Moroi kids. They prefer I don't come for Christmas."

"That's awful," I said, appreciating even in a close family, things could still be stuffed up. "Well, why not spend Christmas with Art at Court?"

"Yeah, I can see that conversation. 'Hi, Art. I think you're really hot and I want to do seriously sexy things with you. I'm not sure if you feel the same way, but would you like to spend Christmas with me? I don't plan to leave bed all day!' Yep. Smooth!" she laughed.

"You could come to ours? And we'll invite Art, too? That way if he isn't interested it's no big deal – you're just two guests at Christmas dinner, and if he is, well…"

"I couldn't ask you to do that."

"It will be our first Christmas in our new place, our first Christmas in the same country together and our baby's first Christmas. I need to speak with Dimitri about it, but I was already thinking of inviting Alberta and a few others and making a big deal of it."

"It's been years since I've had a proper Christmas," Celeste said, considering the offer. "But you'll have a new baby. You don't want to be having to organize Christmas, too?"

"All the more reason to have a big Christmas, Celeste. I've never had a Christmas with a family of my own."

Leaving the conversation to continue another time, we paddled back over to the shallow end, Celeste and I taking turns to pump Yeva and Olena for embarrassing stories about Dimitri. It turns out they were numerous