Summary: Dimitri lost his memories during restoration, but one night together will change their lives drastically. Follow our favorite couple in finding their way back. Vampire Academy World.
I don't own any of the characters, it all belongs to the brilliant Richelle Mead!
BTW: To my FF readers, I told you the next I would publish is Rose as a Runaway Bride but I'm sorry, I don't know how to continue at this point in my One-Shot and it's still not quite finished.
Thank You!
Rose POV:
The warehouse was the place where it all should have ended. It was supposed to be either Dimitri or me. Now both of us are alive. Lissa actually staked him with a spirit charmed stake and restored the love of my life from his undead state. I was never so dumbstruck or shocked as when I saw Dimitri, my former mentor as Dhampir again and looking at me with his brown eyes without any red rings around the pupils.
"Roza.." I heard his smooth voice, god it sounded just the same but not so cold anymore and loaded with emotions. And with his calling he also released me from my stupor, I stood there gawking because quite honestly I've never seen such a thing and I didn't even know it was possible. "What happened?"
Fuck.. That pretty much sums up everything. Apparently he had no recollection of the last 4 months when he was Strigoi. Maybe a good thing because otherwise he wouldn't have looked at me but now I was his person, his anchor. I didn't mind one bit, the only one who minded was Adrian.
Being Dimitri's anchor and visiting him every so often in his cells resulted in Adrian and mine's break up. According to him, I spent too much time being at his beck and call. Well of course, he was undead and got restored, almost nobody believed he's Dhampir again and they treated him as a lab rat. Dimitri was simply miserable and yet Adrian did not think about this little detail.
I finally got the Guardians to loosen his protection and not behind bars anymore. He was now confined to his room with only 1 Guardian at a time outside his room but that's better than the cells. One day I got the day shift, it was pretty good. I was single again, the love of my life was only behind the door and talking to me, each day telling me how grateful he is for having me. Life's pretty awesome right now.
I broke the protocol. I asked Dimitri to let me enter and I did with no one guarding his door. I was telling myself it was only a moment of weakness but I know I could easily have resisted and I should have. I wanted to see for myself if Dimitri is really doing fine like he claimed but I know better, I heard it in the tone of his voice that he wasn't doing as fine as he said.
"Comrade, what's up?" I asked while sitting next to him and squeezing his warm hand. It is such a good feeling, his hands being warm again and not cold like Strigoi. "Talk to me."
"I'm wondering.. as Strigoi, how was I as Strigoi? I should feel guilty but I can't remember anything and nobody wants to tell me anything as if I'm fragile. Roza, do you have any knowledge?" He certainly sounds guilty? But telling him will destroy him nevertheless, and the relationship he built since he's Dhampir again and yet it is wrong to lie..
"I can't tell you much about what you did or how you were. I actually met you in Siberia and look I'm still alive because you didn't want to kill me." He didn't need to know the whole truth. It can wait. I continued with a stronger voice than I thought I possessed "You wanted for us to rule together."
"Thank you Roza." He's cuddling now against me, and wow how I missed that. He feels so good. Now honestly though, since when is he showing so many feelings? He even lifts his head and I smell his aftershave before feeling his warm and soft lips on mine. It still feels the same except this time with a lot more emotions and more importantly his lips are warm. Putting a hand on my cheek it soon turned out into a lot more.
"Leave. You shouldn't even be here." I look up, finding Dimitri out of bed the next morning and looking intently at me. "I said leave. Now!"
Wow, what the hell happened? Was I just a damn play thing? Okay then.. I did as asked and left without a word. Though it would have been nice to know why he threw me out in such a fashion? I guess I'll never know. I was so stupid as to trust him.
4 Years later:
I left Court not long after my night with Dimitri, and I took a part of him with me which I carried for 9 whole months. Only Lissa and Christian from Court knew about my little girl, they also have seen her a couple of times but only when they visited me. In those 4 years I never once sat foot in Court again or thought about Dimitri, okay maybe the last statement is a lie. I asked Lissa to keep me updated.
My best friend is now Queen and expecting, but I know she and Baby Dragomir/Ozera will be safe with Dimitri as her Guardian and tons of others. Even if Dimitri was suddenly an idiot to me after the night together, he still is a badass Guardian and I trust him with Lissa's life.
"Moommmyyyy" My daughter yelled as if I lost my hearing. "There's a letter. Read it."
I rolled my eyes at her command, she picked this up from my mother when she was last here and I can't seem to get her off of it. Such a command for an almost 4 year old is horrible. Opening the seal I see it's from Lissa, sent through the Royal post.
"It's from Aunt Lissa," I smiled.
"Dear Rose,
I know you left Court for good, and now that I'm gonna be a mother too I can completely understand your reasons but would you please come back for one single time?
Christian and I wanted to ask you something important in person but I'm not fit to travel anymore. D.B will be off duty for the time you both are staying with us.
Please let me know.
Queen Vasilisa Rhea Dragomir"
"Mommy, can we go? Auntie said it's important? When can we go? Please." She's much too eager.. But honestly, something important to ask and Lissa is not fit to travel? It seems serious. The matter with Dimitri is easily done, I can just write her a message when I'm on my way and so I don't need to see him. "Daddy lives there, yes?"
I choked and actually looked surprised. How does she know? I never told her. My girl is much too curious for her age. I can't bring myself to lie.
"Yes sweetie, daddy lives there. Not far from Aunt Lissa and Uncle Christian. Your daddy is Auntie's Guardian." I answer in a gentle tone.
"But Auntie has more. Who is it?" Well fair enough. Her curiosity is definitely peeked. "Are there kids?"
"Yes there are also kids but not in the area where we are staying, Elli."
"You no fun Mommy." Thank you honey.. This definitely lifts my spirit.
Being back was strange after being away for 4 years. And more so, my daughter is suddenly shy and wants to crawl on my arm, preferably even hide herself under my shirt.
The Guardian outside the Palace door apparently still knows me and opens them after sending a strange glance on a shy Elli.
"Never seen a mother with her child?" I asked the Guardian who looked embarrassed.
Once inside my daughter is like a whole different person and asks for me to put her down. I also did so.
"Rose, Elli. It's so good to see you. You didn't tell me you're already coming?" Lissa greets us but I don't get the chance to do so because Elli took off towards Lissa who's sitting on her throne with a belly so large, that's a good reason why not to travel, when there were 2 Guardians jumping out, one of them being Dimitri. Jumping at a child, seriously? Lissa cries out "NO!"
"DON'T TOUCH HER" I growled angrily and ran to her jumping in front of my child. "Jumping on children? You idiot visited us with Lissa and Christian few months ago." pointing at the other Guardian who jumped too. Dimitri, who actually came nearest but didn't get her because I jumped in front, is now face to face with me.
"And you, Belikov.. Just be glad you did not hurt a single hair on my daughter's body." I spat out. while feeling a small hand on my shoulder and I instantly relax. She's okay, nothing happened.
"Mommy? Is daddy here?" Elliana tries to whisper but it did not quite end up as a whisper. I look towards Lissa and Christian, Lissa is embarrassed for me and Christian looks smug or whatever.. he only waited for something like this. I then look around the room, most Guardian already retreated again but instead of their Guardian masks some try not to smirk. They know who the father is.
"Not now Munchkin. Later." Trying to distract her. Maybe it will work..
"May I hug Auntie now?" my precious girl asked me and I nodded.
"You're a mother?" Dimitri suddenly asked me. "She resembles you."
"Yes I am. One of the reasons why I left." She resembles me? Are you blind Belikov? Your daughter resembles you, she looks like a freaking Belikov.
"You chose well in leaving for a child." I hear him say but from the background I hear laughter and Elli's voice and the words 'are' 'daddy'. Oh god no.
"Excuse me." I leave him for Elli.
"Mommy, they are not daddy. I asked." my daughter sighs. Dear god, she really went to a few and asked them? "In the middle is one who looks like a girl. You see the hair? His mommy didn't cut his hair. He looks funny. you talked to him."
I break out in laughter, Dimitri is definitely not a girl but for a young child normally men wear their hair short. She has at least never until now seen a man with shoulder long hair. I didn't realize someone else heard us but apparently Christian did according to his laughter and his knowing glint. There really is no going back and no escaping.
"Elliana, don't talk like that, it's not nice. Promise?" I send Lissa a look in hopes she should send out a lot of Guardians.
"Guards, Please leave us, you can wait outside except Guardian Belikov. You will please remain here." I breathe out.
"This will be fun." Christian let out a stupid comment.
"Shut up, otherwise you will be outside with me!" I retorted.
"Rose, if we're both outside then who's going to tell Belikov about his daughter?" Christian smirks
"You just did, you idiot." I'm angry, I could rip him apart. How can Christian do this Elliana has ears too, not only Dimitri. And I chose this guy as her godfather?
"Christian, that really was unnecessary." Lissa, her Godmother rolled her eyes at him while looking at Elli.
"Mommy?" My little girl asked, confused, I don't fault her one bit. She doesn't ask anything further but I also hear Dimitri saying my name, and not just any name.. "Rose.. Roza?"
"Dimitri, take a deep look at her. The only thing she has from me is my loose mouth and my character." I shake my head. "And all that at her age already."
"Come on Baby." I said and lifted Elliana up to carry her in another corner of the room before finally setting her down on my lap. "Daddy is in this room. Uncle is right."
"Who? Auntie sent them all out, only Long hair still here." she sighs. Having a father in her life is really apparently something she craved for or at least knowing who he is.
"He is your daddy, munchkin. But his name is Dimitri Belikov. Not 'long hair'." I smile lightly. Truth is out..
"He stole my name?"She asked with a serious voice but I knew it's a joke so I laughed. It's really never boring.
"You stole his, but we won't tell anybody, okay?" I whispered with a grin on my face.
"You did it, Mommy!" And in that moment she looked even more like her father with her serious expression again. He may have treated me coldly and ignored me after our night together 4 years ago, but he also gave me Elliana Belikova for which I'm very grateful and worth every heartache because of him.
"Come on Sweetie, let's meet him?" I set Elli on her feet again and stood up. Now I just hope he won't find out that his family already knows and already seen Elli. The best of all the visits is Yeva and Elli bickering together. I tried to stop them but it was maybe good for a few hours until Yeva provoked her again. And hey, it's my daughter. She's easily provoked by Yeva.
Dimitri is meeting us halfway, so apparently he maybe wrapped his head about the fact he's a father? We'll see.
"You are daddy. I'm Elliana Belikova." At least she didn't let out any stupid or witty remarks so far. "Why do you have long hair? It looks funny on you."
I take my statement back.. Being around Yeva, my mother, Christian and Abe so often didn't help improving her manners. I can scold my daughter all I want, but after one visit it's back. Though I don't agree with her, I always liked his hair, still do. I couldn't imagine him with short hair.
"Elliana! What did I tell you?" I shake my head in mortification. "Well, guess the truth is out Dimitri.."
"Rose.. How is that possible? But she does look like me." Looking from me to our daughter. Now he could maybe understand my shock when they told me I'm pregnant.
"And like Paul." Elliana interjects, truth is definitely out. For God's sake. "Oops.."
I could facepalm myself right now. I look at Dimitri and shrug my shoulders while gesturing to him to follow me and Elli. Although, thinking about it, to have a serious conversation it's better to have it without her in the room. So I gesture Dimitri to wait while I ask Lissa and Christian to look after her for a short while and they are even letting the Guardians back in, I guess now she has several babysitter's and a crowd to entertain.
"You're confused. I get it, I was too Dimitri. I found out about 5 weeks after we had sex. Actually only because I promised to take a test too if Lissa takes one, she was feeling nauseous and tired.. I was completely fine, only taking it to get her to take a test. My result is currently in the other room entertaining Guardians."
"Roza, why didn't you tell me? I.. You kept me in the dark all those years, and what about Paul?"
"After we had sex you ignored me at all cost and if we were in the same room to discuss something I got treated coldly by you. Remember when I asked if I could talk to you I wanted to tell you but you rejected me, that was the day before I left." I sigh, remembering the time but it won't do me good. "Your family knows and they know Elli. We've been in Baia twice now and have weekly phone calls. Don't blame them, it was all me, I gave them an ultimatum. It shouldn't even come out but yeah, Paul is Elliana's favorite. You should see Yeva and Elli, they are constantly bickering. It's like Yeva and me when I was in Siberia for the first time."
A smile creeps over my face just talking about my daughter but it soon diminished as I saw Dimitri's crestfallen face. He got pretty much kept in the dark by everyone, even by his own family. And now I'm recounting memories of my last years and he wasn't there to witness.. Except Siberia, but he doesn't remember anyway.
"I remembered, the memories came back right after our night. I couldn't look you in the eyes without thinking about what I've done to you. That's why I told you to leave." His voice sounds restrained and with so much sadness or guilt like I've never heard before. I moved closer to him and took both of his hands in mine.
"Dimitri, I forgave you right away for Siberia and anything else. It wasn't you. You were possessed by a monster and had no control over you." I try to reason with him. "If I thought you were still the monster, I would have left when you jumped at her. But we stayed. The Dimitri I know from St. Vladimir's, the one I fell in love with, the Dimitri I gave my virginity, he protected me at all cost, he was always there for me doesn't matter what it was and he made me feel loved and he made me feel safe, he still does."
"Oh Roza.. How can I ever make it up to you, to you both?" He asked while drawing circles on the back of my hand with his thumb.
"By simply being there for our daughter, Comrade." I smiled, I wasn't capable of saying more when I still felt his touch and it took me back to the good old times at St. Vladimir's Academy.
"What is Elliana like?"
"Be warned Comrade.. She's smart for her age, talks a lot almost too much, and painfully honest. Elli has a loose mouth. I'm trying my best to rein her in but it is so hard. And Elli always tries to lighten the mood with jokes which sound funny to a child of her age. She will probably entertain Lissa's Guardian by now. And very protective too for her age, it reminds me of you. Her looks are Belikov through and through, even her smile. She got your smile, and I thank God for that."
"So I gotta deal with a second Rose in my life?" He grinned. That pretty much sums it up.
"You're up for the task, Comrade?" I asked, grinning like a fool.
"Oh, I'm ready Roza."
Epilogue:
1 Year later:
It's been one year since Dimitri is back in my life and I really couldn't be happier. He moved in with us two weeks after meeting again at Court, and since then has been a dedicated father to Elliana. Our little girl got him wrapped around his finger but at least he's aware of it.
"Mommy, you look beautiful. Daddy will eat you up tonight." She smiles up at me in her flowery dress with flowers in a basket but this isn't what caught my attention, 'Daddy will eat you up'? What the hell?
"Elli? Where do you have this expression? Strike this from your vocabulary." Who the hell would tell a 4 year old such a thing?
"I overheard Auntie and Uncle talking. If Daddy eats you up, you must be food, maybe desert." It really doesn't get better and this is on my wedding day!
"Stop this now Elliana Belikova!" I try not to sound too angry. "Go get ready, it's time. Mommy is marrying your Daddy."
Her brown eyes are lighting up again, like on the day we told her we're engaged. She's taking my hand and pulling me out of the room, searching for Abe who should give me away but no sight of Abe so far. Elli does the only thing that comes to her mind at the moment and yells "GRANDPA!"
She will make our wedding day memorable, even more than normally but that's why I love our daughter so much.
I'm finally standing at the altar with Dimitri beside me. That's where I belong, on his side.
"Dimitri Belikov and Rosemarie Hathaway, have you come here today of your own free will to declare your commitment to one another?"The priest asked us both.
"We have." Dimitri and I answer in unison
"Do you promise to be there for each other in the good and the bad? To grow with, understand and respect one another during your life together?"
"We do." again in unison as a well oiled machine.
"Then please face each other and share your vows."I guess it's now or never, we prepared vows of our own but I'm still doubtful about mine.
"Roza, from the first moment I met you I was awestruck by your beauty, dedication and protectiveness. With each passing day at the Academy, you surprised me more and more and you held my heart in your hand very quickly. You don't believe in hopelessness, and you're so strong, those are only a few reasons why I love you Roza. I promise to always protect you both."
That's my cue to surprise him. I move closer to him and whisper in his ear.
"Three Dimitri." I grin. "Congratulations Daddy."
"I know Roza. I was waiting for you to tell me. Took you long enough my love." He smiles back at me. Bastard. He's much too attentive.
"Dimitri, even if you did ruin my surprise, I love you beyond death. Comrade, I love everything about you, even your long hair and it does not look funny - " Turning to Elliana and smirking a bit while she shows thumbs up. That's my girl. "You are actually so handsome and beautiful. I love your dedication to your family, especially to your child. I admire your loyalty towards the people you love and I'm beyond grateful Elliana and I are among them. I could go on and on now."
And we finally exchanged rings. I guess I am now officially Rosemarie Belikova.
Furthermore, apparently my husband will eat me up according to my child. My life couldn't be better. I got a beautiful mini version of me, a husband and a baby on the way.
THE END