The doctor is meeting me halfway to the clinic with a wheelchair, as if I would ever sit in a wheelchair, I can see on her face that she's not pleased to still see me walking around the school in labor. What can I say? I just can't sit still.
"Why am I not surprised? You will deliver your baby in the hallway." She's saying with a knowing look "Sit. Now!"
"Definitely not. I'll walk and besides, the doctor at court told me it may speed up the dilation and I want her out." I sigh. She's pushing the wheelchair to the infirmary, sometimes looking at me to make sure I'm okay.
"Did she also told you Walking is making the contractions worse? They will be stronger?"
"What?! Worse? I don't want that. Never signed up for that." Dr. Olendzki starts laughing, we practically have a friendly relationship with humor since I'm back.
"You should've paid attention when the teachers explained how kids are made, and especially how to prevent this from happening." I only groan loudly in response because of another contraction.
She hushes me towards Room 5 as we arrive, this one actually has a real door, not only a curtain, though it doesn't change much. I'll still make sounds I never made before and every other patient will hear me. At least it's a room with a door, with the whole equipment already being in here and of course a furious Janine Hathaway.
Dimitri POV:
I'm lurking behind a big plant, waiting to attack when I hear students coming from the south wing gossiping about a Guardian. That's nothing new to. Students love to gossip, even Guardians loves gossip and then there's me, I give a damn about it. This time it's different, I hear them speaking of Rose. And I listen closely.
"Yeah, I saw her with Dr. Olendzki. The whole time groaning. Awful."
"Oh come on. She fought Strigoi. She can take a little pain."
"You're dumb? She's in labor, I guess. You could clearly see it. That's another sort of pain." Hearing them saying labor is enough to make me move, in the same time I see Guardian Alto approaching me.
"God, finally Belikov. Hathaway is in labor. And was walking around the south wing to search you. I always knew she's insane. Alberta's already informed. The school is really like a spread fire. Go now." He says in a tone I never heard, it's softer, not so stern. "Congrats is in Order, right?"
"Wait. Labor? Walking around the school? Sounds like her." I answer still a confused.
My Roza is in Labor, 4 weeks earlier. I'll hopefully be a dad by tomorrow and I can spent 4 whole weeks with our little Masie until I need to return to my charge. I'm really stunned by the news of her being in labor. Stan was right, the school is like a spread fire, especially when it comes to gossip or news, every Novice or Moroi is talking about Rose as I'm on my way to the infirmary. Even if not everything's true what they're talking. Someone's saying she was found by Guardian Alto and he took her to the clinic. Another Novice claims she saw her in the west wing, sitting on the floor. Which is ridiculous because she was in the south wing if I understood Stan correctly.
Rose POV:
"Why did you leave? Someone else could have searched Belikov for you. You are completely out of your mind." says my mother
"Did something happen? No! And by the way, I am not badly injured mom, though I prefer the pain of an injury." I reply as calmly as possible and lift myself on the hospital bed.
"Someone could've seen you!" she exclaims
"Yeah and? They'll all soon see me with a baby. I really - " I can't continue with my answer because of a wave of pain hits me again, I groan loudly. And it hurts, so badly. "oh fuck! Don't you have painkillers?"
"You're okay Rose?" My mom looks at me with concern, as if a woman in labor is something new.
"Do I look okay?" I yell. "How long were you in labor?"
I brace myself for her answer, even if it's different for every woman. For me it could be only a few short hours from now on or even still more than 24 hours.. I can't count on her answer but maybe it'll reduce the panic a little bit because I know she also went through this. On her own.
"Long. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere, I guess Dimitri's coming too and Abe's also on his way."
"Okay.. what will happen to her once she's born? I mean it's 4 weeks earlier, I can't just walk out with her after I gave birth? Masie needs to stay under the control of a pediatrician in hospital, no?"
"Yes she's early but that doesn't mean she needs to stay in hospital. Once they checked her and she's healthy, you can normally take your girl with you after a few days. It always depends Rose. I made sure there will be a Pediatrician soon. He's a Moroi, living in Missoula." Dr. Olendzki tries to comfort me or rather explains me everything but it's still scaring. This isn't a real hospital, my baby could be sick, or something with me? They don't perform surgeries here. "That's a beautiful Name. Perfect homage to him."
The doctor tries to distract me with her last sentence, I know it. In my state just now it just doesn't help. I'm in pain because of these damn contractions and Dimitri's still not here. I'm afraid Stan didn't kept his words. But it's nice that she's trying and still remembers Mason.
"Yes it is. Dimitri came up with the name." I smile and it even reaches my eyes. I love the name, it really is perfect.
"Roza." I hear the smooth Russian accent from outside from my door. Thank god!
"In here, Comrade." Yelling towards the door. What seems to have been an eternity since I last saw him, he's finally by my side. I may not have been ready before, but now with him, I certainly am ready to go through all the pain and welcome our daughter. Though I'm in labor and in pain, I'm still curious about the engagement gossip between the two of us.
"Roza.. How are you? I'm sorry it took so long." I see so much concern in his eyes, and hear it in his voice as the next wave rolls over me and I groan loudly.
"Fuck!" And they say pushing out will hurt even more.. "Never been better." I answer sarcastically.
Finally Doctor Olendzki begins with the examination. Cervix. Fortunately she put a blue sheet above my knees before she starts. I watch every expression of her, at the last one she tries to hide it but I clearly see a little shock. At least because her eyes grew a little wide open. I need to admit, though I see the expression, she is good at hiding.
"What is it? Come on. And please, drug me." I ask impatiently and my mother who's standing behind me is scolding me, I should be nicer but right now I couldn't care less.
"Rose, I can't, it's too late.. Your cervix is almost fully dilated. It won't take long now and she's here." With a little smile on her face. In some ways I'm glad it won't take long but in another, I'm terrified and I didn't have much time to prepare myself for what will come next. "Walking around is speeding up the process."
"Hah! You see? It was good I walked around." I turn my head around to my mom and grin at her, in response she shakes her head and sighs. From my corner of the eye I see Doctor exit the room, leaving me alone with Dimitri and my mother. Damn. "Can somebody please distract me? Maybe by answering why is there a rumor about an engagement, Comrade?"
"So that was why you suddenly had a little outburst with a novice? Would that be so bad Roza?"
"It would be to soon, really bad timing and crappy proposal. Definitely not your -" my answer to him gets interrupted as another wave of pain roll over me, this time it's worse than every other contraction so far. His concern about me in this moment is unbelievable. "Style. You can be glad that I love you! If not, I would have killed you by now."
"You're okay?" Taking my hand and squeezing it a bit. "I don't know why there's such a rumor, but don't listen to it." I only nod as a response.
After more than an hour of horrible pain Dr. Olendzki finally returns. Starting again examining me. "For God's Sake, take this out of me!" Pointing at my belly "I feel like getting slaughtered."
"You certainly sound like getting slaughtered, little girl." I hear Abe shouting from the other side of the room. Do I really want to know how my father knows they sounds? I can imagine, but still can't help myself of being curious. Now with being examined again, having my legs spread wide open, it's not the time to call him in.
"Not yet Rose. Have a little patience." She smirks a little. I hate everyone in this room right now. Dimitri probably the most.
"That's not funny. I want her out. NOW!" Squeezing Dimitri's hand even harder. I feel bad for him because when this is finished he definitely need to see a doctor or maybe not..
"I suggest to keep your legs closed in the future. If you ask me." Abe cried from outside. Oh man, this is embarrassing.
"Nobody asked you Old man." I groan loudly. As the doctor is finished I finally call my father in while Dr. Olendzki exits the room. Family reunion while I'm in labor and having pain, who would have thought? "You were here quickly?! Where was your business this time?"
"2 hours from here only. It's almost settled." Again I'm torn between curious and disgusted because I know his kind of business, I must have looked curious because he's explaining what it is about. "We found Tasha a few weeks ago. Not far from here."
"Nothing new, except that she was only 2 hours away.." I swallow hard. She almost got me again if it wouldn't be for Abe's men.
"You knew? The whole time, since when exactly?" He looks confused and surprised, that's the first time I caught him off guard and I really like it. Not everyone could say that they caught Zmey off guard.
"I have my sources too, you know. About 3 weeks. Now tell me please." I really want a distraction from the pain, so why not asking Abe how he got rid of Tasha?
"It looks like she set herself on fire." He whispers in my ear with a serious tone. Karma's a real bitch. "Don't worry she can't hurt you anymore."
"No way! How?" I grin slightly. To be honest, I feel like it's Christmas and my birthday all in one. I shouldn't be glad, but I can't help it. Tasha can't hurt my baby, can't hurt Dimitri or me. If I think about it, she never would have hurt Dimitri, she would have tried to seduce him, to get him. That's even worse. The ski lodge was already bad enough.
"Ibrahim, what did you do?" My mother does not look pleased at all.
"Not much Janine. I cleaned up." Looking like nothing happened, only Abe can manage that perfectly. I'm glad to have him.
"You cleaned up?"
"Does that surprises you?" He smirks at her in a strange way. Oh god, father mother reunion when I'm in labor. Another grimace and groan escapes my mouth, not letting go of Dimitri's hand and squeezing it hard. Both my parents are looking at me again with concern like I would die anytime soon. At least I distracted my mother from Abe's so called clean up. Well, in some ways he did clean up. I just hope someone made sure she's really dead, found her ashes, made sure she has not escaped. As I think about Tasha and escaping, my face is instantly getting a little bit pale.
"I call the doctor. Roza, you are in constant pain, not only a little pain. Don't lie to me. You are pale."
"Comrade, it's okay. I know it will hurt." I know from the doctor at Court it would hurt much more then Braxton hicks, that was nothing comparing to real contractions but I didn't know it would hurt like hell. If Dimitri would only know why I'm pale but now it's not the time. "Don't worry.. - I swear, this will be - the first and last!" Pointing at my belly while groaning loudly.
"Well well, is it that bad? Don't go so far. A second, a third?" Abe smirks, but I have nothing to smirk for.
"Shut up!" My mother and I are shouting in unison. My dad still keeps smirking. Damn it. Gladly Dr. Olendzki's coming back in to check and I so hope it will just start now and end soon, I'm sick of being pregnant, I'm sick of the pain, I'm sick of not even seeing my own feet, sick of everything.
"So how are you Rose? Should we check?" She asks me in a gentle tone as if this could ease my pain, she should just pull her out without checking.
"Can we not just start please? Just pull her out?" I reply desperately but I get no correct answer.
"Well, Everyone out except the father." Dr. Olendzki's smiling a little in the round. Everyone out except Dimitri, why? Then it hits me, it's finally happening, I'm going to hold my baby in my arms very soon.
"So me too?" I try not to smirk but from the annoyed glance I get from my mother, I just can't help it. "Will you stay outside the clinic mom? Dad?"
"Of course Little Girl, we will be there." Abe replies and both are exiting the room, leaving me with Dimitri and Dr. Olendzki.
"Comrade, you're ready to be a father? Now's no way back." I grin at him, though it must look like a half grin and half grimace because of the contractions. Definitely no more children, one will be enough.
"Rose, we're starting now. I need you to push."
I brace myself, take my boyfriend's hand again and do as the doctor says, from my side I hear Dimitri's smooth Russian accent, I know he's saying something, probably trying to encourage me, or maybe saying I broke his hand and didn't noticed it? But it's like I don't really hear him, in a blur. The only thing I'm hearing loud and clear are my cries, and my moans in my ear. Good God, am I that loud? Sometimes I still hear Dr. Olendzki saying Push, and I do push and every time I hope it's finally over. My hopes are getting paid off, I hear a piercing cry, even worse than mine were, I instantly know it's my baby I carried for 36 weeks and she's finally here. I couldn't be happier right now. Slowly I open my eyes, I don't even realize they were closed until now, and see our baby for the time in Dimitri's arms.
"Comrade, you're crying." I smile widely with tears forming in my eyes. Yes, my Russian Battle God with tears rolling down his cheek. Who would've thought? He carefully wants to lay her in the crook of my arm but I stop him and start rambling nervously and embarrassed. "No.. I.. I'll break her, I won't make a new one, even if I know how."
A mother who's afraid of holding her new born, afraid of breaking her and doesn't know how to hold a baby. Is there anything worse? I'm already failing her within the first few minutes she's born. But, why am I so nervous about everything? I'm not a single mother, I have help raising her. The next 4 weeks Dimitri and my mother are still at St. Vladimir's, afterwards it's Christmas. Christmas holidays 2 weeks, College likewise. So, additional 2 weeks with him maybe and then I'm starting as a Guardian, for me sounds like a plan? I've got 6 weeks of training with him if I'm lucky and my mom and time with my newborn.
"You won't break her Roza." He says and showed me the motion of his arms, it looks so easy how to hold a newborn before he's laying her carefully in my arms. "She's perfect. I'm so so proud of you my Roza."
I'm simply nodding while looking at my little girl, I'm thinking exactly the same. Masie is perfect, she has dark brown hair, as for the eyes, I haven't seen them yet. 19 inches and 6.28 lbs I am told by the doctor. Now that she's here I'm unsure when should I try to feed her?
"Is everything alright?" He looks at me, half concerned and half smile.
"Yes.. Everything is just overwhelming and new. Can you believe, I carried our tiny one for weeks, months even.. in here..," pointing at my belly "And now, I'm holding her, a human. Dimitri we created a human. You know what? I regret nothing when I look at her. You could ignore me again for weeks, People could call me again 'a shame for Guardians' and a 'whore'. Right now, I couldn't care less, but I have a feeling that as soon as she opens her eyes it's clear who the parents are, so no point in ignoring again." I smile at him, a smile like never before, genuine, happy and wide.
"I feel the same. It is overwhelming, and new, even for me, though I have a nephew and a niece, so a little practice with them but it's not the same. You won't let me forget this.. will you? You were never these things they called you, don't forget that.. You're not a shame for Guardians, we are equal and you're certainly not a whore."
"Equal? That's nice of you but that's long gone. I don't fight, I don't train, I do nothing."
"We can change that. You'll caught up in no time."
"Okay then, when do we start training?" I grin and start teasing. "You can be my mentor again?"
"I think it was probably the best decision I've ever made, to be your mentor back than." I can only smile and look again at our little girl on my arm. He's right, I couldn't have wished for a better mentor. Lost in my thoughts I hear a knock on the door and they enter.
"If that isn't my granddaughter, fresh from the oven." says my father with a smirk after one look at Masie. "She looks exactly like.." watching first me, then Dimitri. Maybe searching for some clues.
"Yeah?" I answer curiously.
"Like a newborn." We all start laughing, Masie doesn't even wake up, maybe she will be a sleepyhead.