Chapter Text
Everything was in perfect clarity when I opened my eyes. I never realized how limited my eyesight was until now. Everything was so vivid and clear, it was like someone had taken a blur from my eyes.
"Roza?"
I turned my head and my eyes landed on Dimitri before moving to the bassinet that was beside the bed. I could hear Dimitri's slow heartbeat, but I could also hear the fluttering sound like hummingbird wings. The song that called to the deepest part of my soul. My son's heartbeat.
I sat up slowly and swallowed, my throat thick like I hadn't drunk water in days.
"Take it slow, it can be disorienting," Dimitri said softly as I slid off the bed and backed towards the door. I flattened myself against the wall and took another slow breath through my nose before choking on it.
"Take Noah away," I whispered, gripping the edge of the doorframe.
"Rose?"
"All I can smell is his," I choked with a small gasp, closing my eyes. Dimitri got up and walked towards me, gripping my shoulders gently as he maneuvered me out of the bedroom, closing the door behind me. He kept his body between me and the door as we went down to the kitchen.
While still keeping his body between me and the stairs, Dimitri opened the fridge and rummaged through the drawer at the bottom and pulled out a reddish-looking bag. He tore the top corner of it off with his teeth and extended it to me.
I gingerly took it and did what I had seen him do so many times before, and brought the corner of it to my lips. I took a slow sip and as soon as the blood touched my tongue, it set fire to my veins. Before I knew it, I had drained the bag and Dimitri was already handing me another one and I finished it off quickly.
I tossed both the empty packages into the garbage and accepted the glass of water Dimitri handed to me.
"That was intense," I said after finishing the glass.
"It can be, that's why I said take it slow," Dimitri soothed. I nodded and sat on the edge of the counter, feeling a sensation of horror set in.
"Oh my God," I whispered as I rested my head in my hands, "What if you weren't in the room what I woke up!? I could have hurt Noah!"
Dimitri came to stand in front of me and rested his hands on my knees, shushing me gently.
"Roza, you wouldn't have hurt him," he soothed but I shook my head. Dimitri cupped my cheeks and tipped my head up so I was looking at him.
"Your instinct as a mother wouldn't have let you. Look at what you did, the minute you smelled his blood, you backed yourself into the wall. You wouldn't have hurt Noah," Dimitri said softly, stroking his thumb over my cheekbone.
I sighed quietly and leaned into him before sliding off the counter and heading past him and up the stairs. Dimitri followed behind me as I went back into the bedroom and I walked around the bed. I peered into the bassinet and smiled when I saw his big brown eyes open.
I smiled at him as he flailed his arms and legs inside the swaddle bag, gurgling behind his pacifier. I felt the tension leave my body as I picked him up, pulling the pacifier from his mouth.
"Hi bubba," I sighed and kissed his cheek, taking a tentative deep breath in. He still smelled like him, all perfect and baby-like, but the smell of his blood in his veins didn't have the same appeal as it did earlier.
"After a day or so, his blood won't make you thirsty. It was like that for me with you in the beginning. But becoming familiar helps, and like I said, mother's instincts."
I nodded and held him against me as I swayed gently.
"He feels lighter," I chuckled.
"You're just stronger," Dimitri smirked and I nodded, swaying still with Noah. He sighed quietly and let his cheek thump against my chest, rubbing his face against my breast. I closed my eyes and savoured the feeling. It felt the exact same, but so different. He was warmer to me, but I knew that was an Ekon thing.
I hummed quietly when I felt Dimitri's hands brush over my waist, resting my back against his chest. I let my head rest back against him.
"It's going to be a weird couple of days, isn't it?"
"Yes. And just be prepared for the first time you experience teenage b.o. It'll be like walking into a brick wall," Dimitri chuckled in my ear, making me laugh quietly too. Dimitri kissed my ear and then my temple.
I adjusted my grip on Noah as I knocked gently on the door. When I thought the first few days would be strange, I really had to relearn how to do things. Like walking. Walking at a normal pace and how to turn door handles without snapping them, or even closing a cupboard door. I had to take more care of everything.
Including knocking on doors.
"Come in."
I turned the door handle and opened the door, a gentle smile on my face.
"Oh, Rose!" Sonya said with a smile, standing up from where she was sitting. Her eyes shone as they moved to Noah, her smile widening ever so slightly.
"I had heard you had a baby. He's beautiful," she gushed quietly. I chuckled to myself and walked closer, moving Noah around so she could see him better.
"He really is. Looks just like his daddy," I said kissing his head. Sonya smiled softly and tilted her head as she looked at Noah. I could tell that she was holding herself back, that fear of what she was lingered through her veins.
"You've turned," she said after a moment. I nodded and walked closer, sitting on the chair next to where she was. She moved back the slightest bit, a sharp breath dragging through her nose.
"I have. It's been an interesting few days," I said with a smile, "But Dimitri has been a lot of help. And so has this one. The reminder that he is fragile to me now helps."
Sonya nodded sharply and I ran my fingers through Noah's wispy curls, smiling to myself as he swivelled his head up to look up at me. He seemed so big already and was only a month old. I felt like he was growing up too quickly.
"Would you like to hold him?"
Sonya looked delighted and terrified at the same time.
"Oh no, I couldn't," she stammered but I brushed her off, already pulling Noah out of the sling and reaching out to her.
"Nonsense. You've always had a babe in your arm every chance you've had," I said with a smile, all but thrusting Noah into her arms. I knew that there was a risk, but I also knew how hard Sonya was trying to get back to who she was. The person she was wouldn't allow her to harm a baby.
Sonya looked scared as she took Noah gingerly in her arms, but after a moment Noah rested his head on her shoulder and something in her expression broke. She shifted Noah in her arms and rested her cheek on his head. I smiled to myself as I watched her cuddle him but sat up, alert when she started to shake.
"Sonya?"
She looked up at me with tear-filled eyes and sobbed, holding Noah tighter to her chest, just sobbing into his hair. I stood up and placed my hand on her back, rubbing it soothingly as she cried. The hold she had on Noah was gentle despite how much she looked like she was clinging to him.
"It's over now, Sonya. All the things you did, it wasn't you. It was a puppet," I whispered and she nodded, leaning into me as she sobbed. I wrapped my arm around her and held her tightly, kissing her head in understanding.
The door to her 'room' opened and Stan looked in, his eyes taking us in.
"I just wanted to make sure everyone was okay. I could hear crying," Stan said awkwardly after a moment.
I nodded and waved him off. "We're fine in here," I said and smiled at him. He nodded and shut the door quickly, leaving the three of us alone.
"I forgot what it felt like to hold a child," Sonya whimpered, "I forgot what it felt like to hold so much life in your hands."
"I know, but you'll remember. Baby steps," I encouraged.
Sonya nodded and looked at me with bloodshot eyes. She shifted Noah so she could bury her face into his hair and took a deep breath and sighed. I smiled because I understood what that smell did, what it would do for her. I knew that before Sonya had turned that she was trying to get pregnant.
"Have you seen Mikhail since being restored?" I asked.
She swallowed thickly. "I've wanted to, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I caused him so much pain."
I slipped one of my hands into her and squeezed it softly. "We'll do it together," I whispered and slowly pulled her from the room. Her eyes flicked quickly around the hall, taking it in like she had never seen it before. Stan was standing next to the door to Mikhail's room.
I nodded at Stan and he nodded at me and opened the door. Mikhail was already standing when we walked in, on guard for what was to come, but relaxed when his eyes landed on Sonya and then Noah.
"Sonya?" Mikhail whispered, his eyes flicking between us.
"Hi," she whispered as she shifted on her feet. Sonya looked at Noah and then carefully detangled him from her and handed him to me. I took him back and raised my brows at her.
"Could you give us a minute?"
I nodded and stepped back out of the room, shutting the door behind me. Stan smirked at me and pulled a ten-dollar bill from his pocket.
"I should never bet against a seer. That was stupid of me."
I snorted a laugh and took it. "And yet, you always bet against me instead of with me," I smiled.
Stan rolled his eyes at me but smiled at Noah.
"Yeah, I'll learn one day," he said, "But how is it that you knew she would go after seeing you?"
I shrugged. "I think she needed reminding of what she was, and the easiest way to do that was to show something innocent in its truest form. A baby, a baby that she has heard about for weeks and hasn't seen. A baby that she has asked about for weeks."
"You knew because of Noah?"
I nodded. "She held him, and I watched it fall over her. That little piece of humanity that she thought she was missing was there," I explained and made a face.
"And with that, I'm going to change this explosive diaper because I'm not used to the super smell yet," I said with a slight gage. Stan bellowed a laugh and waved his hand out to the side for me to depart, his laughter following me up the stairs.
It felt strange being in a bar. I mean, it had been months since I had been in a bar. Not to mention, being in a bar with Eddie and his somewhat girlfriend was even more strange. I didn't want to be that friend, but I wasn't a fan.
She seemed like a bimbo and had a nasily laugh that set my teeth on edge. Not to mention, the comment she made about my body didn't bode well. But thankfully, Eddie was the guy I knew he was and came to my defence.
"Well, she did just have a baby a month ago. She looks fantastic," Eddie said with a tilt of his head.
"I'm just saying, having a little class and not having your boobs out isn't a bad thing to say. Wearing a loose shirt is acceptable" she said and I raised my brows, Dimitri's hand resting on my knee.
"You try breastfeeding and tell me how that goes for you," I said as I took a sip of my beer. I didn't know where she got off saying that, considering I could almost see her nipples over the neckline of her shirt. Eddie's eyes moved to me with a mortified look and I rolled mine, tipping back my beer.
"You're not planning on breastfeeding tonight, are you?"
"No, I'm not an idiot. Pump and dump. I pumped before I left," I said with a tilt of my head, pinning her with my eyes.
Eddie cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject, asking about my now very full art class. I kept the conversation light, explaining that I was really enjoying the youth classes, and was happy that one of my students ended up returning to be a T.A.
"Rose's classes have become very popular. I've even heard my students talking about it in class when they should be discussing Orwell and Dickins," Dimitri praised with a smile.
"I guess van Gogh and Picasso are much more entertaining," I simpered and batted my eyes at him before swiping his shot. Dimitri threw me a dry look and flagged down the bartender for another shot.
"So you teach kid classes?"
"No, I teach all classes. I work for the university," I clarified, "It's a stepping stone class of sorts. It helps people who were short-listed for competitive universities get a one-up."
Katie, at least that's what I heard her name was, smiled a fake smile at me and I could tell by the look on Eddie's face, he wanted this double date to be over. ASAP.
Dimitri excused himself when his phone rang and my eyes followed him as he stepped outside, pursing my lips.
"What, don't want him to be on his own?"
"No, it was my mother who called," I said and took another sip of my beer.
"Isn't your mom watching Noah?"
I nodded and forced a smile. "Yep. I'm sure everything is fine," I said quietly and spun the bottle between my palms. It was my first night away from Noah without him being with Dimitri.
"Take a deep breath. You have Mrs. FBI watching Noah," Eddie said soothingly and I nodded, taking a slow breath.
"I'm just anxious. I haven't left him alone with anyone other than Dimitri before," I said as I ran my hand through my curls.
Katie whispered to Eddie that she thought I was clingy, and it took everything in me not to roll my eyes at her. When Dimitri came back in he had a neutral look on his face, but his thoughts were guarded.
"Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, um, your father was playing around with Noah and somehow ended up swallowing a toy. Your mom is taking him to the ER," Dimitri said with a chuckle as he picked up his duster, "If you want to stay, I can come back for you in a while?"
"I'm Ubering, I don't mind sharing. Your place is on the way to mine," Eddie offered. Katie pulled out her phone and was busy on it before excusing herself, saying that something came up and she needed to leave. I watched her all but flee from the bar without saying much of a goodbye to Eddie and glanced at Dimitri.
"Are you going to be alright?"
"Roza, I'll be fine," Dimitri said pecking my lips. I looked at him and then at Eddie.
"We probably won't be more than an hour or so," I said with a smile. Dimitri nodded and gave me another quick kiss before giving Eddie a one-armed hug and leaving, promising to meet up again soon. Once both Dimitri and Katie were out of the bar, we looked at each other and laughed.
"I'm going to say that she is a hard no," I sputtered as I finished my beer and ordered another.
"I'm going to agree. I mean, who the fuck says something like that?" Eddie asked with a snicker, "Why can't I be lucky like Dimitri and met a girl that's not an airhead?"
I smirked and shrugged. "He's just lucky."
Eddie shook his head and leaned back in his chair, eyeing me for a moment.
"I do have to say, you look different. Not just in your bliss mommy glow," he said.
"Oh yeah?"
"I don't know. You just seem different. You look like my best friend, but don't at the same time," Eddie said with a laugh and ran his hand through his hair.
"I know it sounds stupid," he scoffed but I shook my head and lifted my beer, taking a swing.
"It doesn't," I said after a moment, "Remember all those years ago at our graduation dinner?"
"Vaguely," he mumbled into his glass.
"I said that I couldn't tell you everything, but he was always who I was meant to be with."
Eddie took another sip of his beer and nodded, leaning back in his chair.
"Yeah, I remember something like that."
I smirked and turned to face him, the bar was secluded enough we wouldn't be overheard.
"I know what I'm about to tell you is going to sound crazy, but you need an open mind," I said and Eddie made a face but nodded. I explained everything to him, about Ekons and mates, how Dimitri and I were created for each other, how the immortality would pass to the mate, and how no matter what happened in my life, Dimitri was always going to be the one for me.
Eddie sat silently and took in everything I said, drinking his beer and nodding along every so often. Once I finished telling him about the event that took place recently, he flagged down the bartender for another drink. He was silent until the new beer was placed on the table and he drank half of it in the first gulp.
"That's a lot," Eddie said.
"It is," I said with a chuckle.
"Wait, is that how Adrian knew something was wrong at Natalie's party?" he asked all of a sudden. "He came running out of the one room when I was about to go up and check on you."
"Yeah. I didn't realize that mates gave off some kind of, I don't know, 'bat signal' when they're in distress. Dimitri explained it to me once that because Adrian and he were blood relatives, Adrian would be able to feel me in close proximity, and the same for Sydney. But yeah, that's how he knew something was wrong," I said as I took another sip of my beer.
Eddie shook his head and let out a deep breath. "Wow."
"Mmhmm," I chuckled and smirked at him.
"So you weren't always having dreams about Dimitri, he was actually there?"
"Yep."
Eddie's eyes widened. "Wait. Does that mean he knows that I took your virginity?"
I sputtered and sprayed my beer over the table. I coughed a few times and wiped my face with the napkin he handed to me.
"Yes. He actually said you were the only boyfriend he ever approved of, which is a little weird, but yes. He didn't interfere because he wanted me to live. He wasn't me to be able to have normal experiences before the bond formed."
Eddie shook his head again. "And he is okay with me being Noah's godfather?"
I nodded. "Yeah. He thinks that if the bond was never there, that this whole soulmate thing didn't exist, he thinks that you and I would have been for the long run. Plus, he knows that you are my best friend and thinks that having a human in his life other than his grandparents is important. Plus, you were his first pick."
Eddie smirked. "Really? Not Ivan?"
I shook my head. "Nah, Ivan's backup in case you said no," I chuckled.
"I would be honoured to be Noah's godfather," Eddie said quietly after a moment, "Really. I thought I was just going to get the title of fun uncle."
I smirked and shrugged.
"Nah, Mason gets the title of the fun uncle," I smirked. Eddie nodded and took another sip of his beer, a quip on his lips.
One of the best things about knowing everything before it happened, I really did have the opportunity to change things. The blowout fight never happened between Dimitri and me, but the car accident was inevitable. But one thing that did change was Mason. We were able to work quickly to take down the Gathering and that meant that we were never abducted, and Mason was never killed.
I still went to school and lived on campus with Sydney and Ellison, but I was plagued with pain. I still graduated top of my class and took on classes at the university, but most things stayed the same.
"So you look different because of immortality?"
I nodded. "Yeah. It's weird. Even I have a hard time processing it sometimes. It weird seeing myself with no physical imperfections or scars."
Eddie shrugged but nodded. "We'll probably get used to it after a while," he said spinning his beer between his hands. He glanced at his watch and I glanced at the clock on the wall, noting that it was still early, but late enough that I was ready to curl up on the bed and doze for a bit. I still tired quickly and needed to recharge so to speak.
"Does it make me sound old if I said I was ready to go to bed?" Eddie asked.
I smirked and sagged back in my seat. "Oh thank God. I didn't want to be the one to end the night early," I laughed and stood up, collecting my bag and setting some bills on the table.
"Oh no. I'm usually asleep by now," Eddie laughed and put some bills on the table too.
"So much for our twenties being all about the nightlife," I snickered as we headed out.
I smiled as Noah ran down the hall, the balloon strings clutched tightly in his hands.
"Noah, wait for us please!" I called out after him with a laugh, but it was futile, he was too excited. I swung Dimitri and I's intertwined hands as we walked down the hall, heading for the same room we had been in years ago.
"Auntie Ney!" Noah squealed and ran into one room. I chuckled and jogged quickly to catch up with him, catching him just as he tried to jump up on the bed.
"Noah; remember what I told you. Declan is just little, you have to be careful," I said softly as I perched him on my hip, smiling at Sydney.
Noah garbled something I couldn't quite understand but I figured it was him voicing his displeasure.
"How are you feeling?" I asked Sydney.
She looked exhausted but happy as she cradled the newborn in her arms.
"Perfect," she whispered. I smiled and sat on the edge of the bed, holding Noah so that he could see his new cousin.
"I'm not dreaming, right? I'm not going to wake up and it's a dream?"
I shook my head. "No, I promise. Not a dream, he's real," I whispered. I hated to say that Sydney still suffered the loss of Jackson but seeing her eyes light up looking at Declan, made that ache slip away. She was always going to miss him, but Declan filled that gap in her heart the slightest bit.
"You promise?"
"I haven't seen anything different," I said with a smile and she relaxed in the bed, rubbing her hand over Declan's back. Sydney nodded her head and sighed, closing her eyes.
"Thank you," she whispered. I nodded and kissed Noah's cheek, grunting when he kicked my stomach. Sydney's eyes flew open and I reassured her I was fine, rubbing my distended stomach.
"He has a knack for hitting me right in the belly button," I chuckled as Dimitri came over and plucked Noah out of my arms.
"How about you and Dad go get Auntie Ney and Momma some tea? How's that sound, bubba?" Dimitri asked as he set Noah on his hip and headed out of the room, giving the two of us a wink.
"How have you been feeling? Still puking every time you smell coffee?" Sydney asked as she gestured to Declan. I smiled and took the still-red newborn in my arms and shrugged.
"Don't we all want to yack at the smell of coffee until we're almost ready to pop?" I chuckled and stared down at the baby in my arms. He was sleeping but I marvelled at how small he was. It always marvelled me how small babies could be.
"Yes," Sydney laughed.
"But I will be happy when I'm not crazing picked herring every moment of the day. It smells horrible," I chuckled and kissed the top of Declan's head.
"Yeah, that is a gross craving," Sydney chuckled. I nodded and handed Declan back to her, rubbing my hand over my stomach again. Sydney's eyes were half-lidded, but remembered what it felt like the first few hours after birth, that feeling like if you looked away they'd disappear.
I smiled again feeling a small foot push against my hand. I was excited to experience it again. Sydney's door opened and Dimitri and Adrian came in, Noah in the lead with his balloons still. I took the tea from Dimitri while Adrian took Declan, holding him gently. Dimitri wrapped his arm around me and kissed my head.
Everything coming together as it should?
I smiled up at him and nodded.
Everything is coming together perfectly.