"I wish you didn't have to go!" I pouted wrapping my arms around his waist pulling him closer to me as he did the same bringing me close to him pressing his lips against my forehead in a loving kiss. It was six am on a cold November morning. We were laying on out bed and he was already showered and dressed since he woke up an hour before. He slipped into bed fully clothed and wrapped in arm around me giving me a cuddle before he had to leave.

Today Dimitri had to go to Russia for a guardian convention. The guardian convention is where all the guardian around the world would gather along with their Moroi and have a few more weeks of training, learning from one another. It didn't matter if the guardian just graduated or was retired they usually went. Even Dimitri's grandmother and sisters went to this convention while his mother would take care of the kids.

Usually Dimitri and I made it a family trip to Russia. We would go to the convention, spend time with Dimitri's family and then go visit his mom's house and do family activities. Unfortunately, this time around I was nine months pregnant and is expected to give birth any day now which made me not able to go to the convention. Dimitri had expressed his sadness at the fact that he might miss the birth of our little boy. He wanted to be there the moment that he was born and brought into this world. I shared the same concern and I managed to pull some strings. I made an agreement with the guardian council to let Dimitri to go to the convention for a week instead of the usual three weeks.

I rested my head on his chest and pulled him as close as my pregnant belly would allow me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder while his other hand came to stroke my hair and kissed my forehead before resting his cheek on the top of my head. I snuggled closer to him loving the way he smelled once he came out of the shower. His aftershave smelled so strong, his shampoo scent still lingering around him and the scent of his skin after he washed off his skim, everything about his scent made me go slightly crazy.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." He promised kissing the top of my head once again. He pulled away from the embrace enough to look at me but not enough to drop his arm around me but I must admit they did loosen a little. Over his shoulder I could see the digital clock that read six ten. He had to be at the airport by six thirty or he was going to miss his flight.

"I love you." I whispered closing my eyes once again hugging him tightly. When he didn't say anything I opened my eyes enough to look at him only to see those deep, brown eyes shining down at me. They were filling with love and adoration. He was like the alpha male. He would and could protect us from anything yet when he was around us he was the most loving person in the world. And by us I meant Lillie, our unborn baby boy, and me.

"I love you too, babe." He murmured after a while. There was something about the way that his pet names rolled off his tongue that made them sound so sexy. Even in the sweetest moments they sounded sexy, especially when he said them in his Russian accent. They just sounded so perfect and well…sexy. I smiled at him before leaning up to place a quick, chaste kiss on his lips. I rested my forehead on his with my eyes close enjoying the intimate space. Apparently this wasn't enough for him. He threaded his fingers in my hair as if he was going to comb her hair but they stayed there pulling his face close to his to capture my lips with his a passionate kiss. My hand came up and rested on each side of his waist as I gripped his shirt pulling him closer to me. With the hand that wasn't in my hair he placed a hand on my hip bringing me closer.

I moaned a little, I'm not going to lie and my hands traveled up so I could wrap them around his neck bringing his mouth close to mine. Our lips created their own dance and they slid against each other lovingly. I giggled when he growled in my mouth as he pried my lips open with his tongue slipping his tongue in my mouth creating intimacy. We dueled there for a couple of minutes and my hands couldn't help but travel down to explore his whole body.

Dimitri released my hair and his hands slipped down my back as both of his hands met at my backside giving me a shameless squeeze. I brought my head back to release his lips while his just trailed down my neck to the crook of my neck. I sighed blissfully as he opened his mouth and bit my neck passionately. Not enough to hurt me but enough to add pressure. he paid attention That certain spot that made me go wild especially when he licked and sucked violently making me grip his shoulders. He squeezed my backside once again as he pulled his head away from my neck placing a couple of open mouth kisses on that spot. I brought his face up to mine seeing his mischievous smile on his face kissing him hard immediately slipping my tongue into his mouth while his hands went under the waistband of my pajama shorts when…

"Wah!" Lillie cried from her crib located across the room. We both froze in our spot and turned our head to look at the crib in sync. I sighed frustrated well sexually frustrated that is. Dimitri really knew how to work me up and boy did he work me up. I turned my head to glare to my husband who had that mischievous smile still plastered on my face.

"You've got me worked up and you aren't even going to finish the job." I commented my eyes turning into slits as they silently accused him. He laughed pressing a kiss on my forehead then leaned over my ear.

"You've been hinting that you won't able to sleep for time that I won't be here and with what I left you you'll be able to have great dreams." He whispered huskily before turning around to get off the bed walking over to the crib where out crying Lillie was awaiting our arrival.

"Oh," I finally said making Dimitri turn from where he was standing in front of the crib to look at me with a smirk on his face. "You're going to help me sleep by giving me wet dreams?"

"Something like that." He commented with a chuckle and a wink before turning his attention to his little girl. I glared at his back peeling off the rest of the blankets that were plastered to my skin to swing my legs over the side of the bed, hopping off of the bed to walk over to where my husband was attending Lillie.

"Sometimes I wish that you were still the stoic, serious man that you were when I met you." I said ruffling the brown hair that was stuck to Lillie's head. Her head rested on his shoulder and her hands were tucking under her chin. She turned to look at me when I ruffled her hair only to look at me with brown eyes. She sniffed a couple of times then scrunched her face letting shallow breaths as tears raced down her cheeks. Curled up in Dimitri's arms snuggling into him and his warmth like I usually did. Her eyes did not leave mine once as she stared at me with sad, tired eyes.

"Oh, stop complaining you know that you love it." Dimitri said facing me still rocking our child. "I just know my Roza really well."

"Sad part is that it is true." I said wrapping an arm around Dimitri's waist as he opened his available arm to wrap it around my shoulders. With that he held us close to him tightening his hold on both of us as he rested his head on my head. Lillie turning her head against his shoulder to look at me. She yawned quietly and I reached up to wipe away the lingering tears on her cheeks away with the pad of my thumb.

"My two girls. My family." Dimitri said with adoration making his voice sound happy although I could hear a possessive tone laced in there somewhere. We were a family now and believe it or not this was a tender family moment. There was a knock on the door and Dimitri looked behind him to glare at the door while I held onto both of them. Lillie reached out copying what I just did to her with a small giggle and a smile. I smiled back at her and looked up to see Dimitri staring at the door. I reached up and placed a kiss on his jaw making him turn to look at me.

"Muah," Lillie said placing her own kiss on her father's jaw as well but leaving her slobber there marking that she was there.

"Guardian Belikov," Eddie's voice was silently heard from behind our wooden door. Dimitri sighed and looked down at me. His face immediately changed from happy and mysterious to compassionate and sad.

"I'm coming." He announced making Lillie lift her head to look at him with sleepy eyes. It took a minute for me to realize that she was taking a small nap on her father's shoulder since she was falling asleep. Dimitri dropped the arm that was around my shoulder to place his hands on Lillie's waist brining her to his eyes level, which was a ways to go since he was so tall. He placed a kiss on her forehead then turned away only to see Lillie lean giving him a sloppy kiss on his nose. He chuckled and he began kissing her all over her face making her giggle.

He looked sadly at Lillie then she tilted her head to look intently at her father. She placed a reassuring hand on his cheek as smiled at him.

"Bye Lillie," he said softly bringing his lips once again to her forehead. "I'll see you in a week, baby girl."

"Daddy go bye bye?" Lillie asked sadly throwing her arms around her father's neck lovingly.

"Yes," Dimitri nodded rubbing the little girl's back looking at me sadly. "Daddy go bye bye."

"No." Lillie said and Dimitri and I couldn't help but laugh at the determination and hardness in her voice. She was just like her mother and father put together oh right. She was starting to get a little demanding and a little determined for our good. I stepped forward creating that intimate space once again rubbing her back as she turned to look at us.

"I've got to go." Dimitri announced sighing making me nod. I held my arms up for Lillie to come into my arms as she completely complied. Dimitri wrapped his arms around me one last time kissing my lips, for the last time in a week.

"I love you." I whispered to him making him smile then tuck a loose strand of hair that came out of the ponytail that I made the night before.

"I love you." He responded pressing his lips to mine once again in a lingering kiss. That was until Lillie started patting our faces trying to get out attention. Yup, that was something else she got from her mommy. Always interrupting people.

"I ove you." Lillie said to him pressing a final kiss on his cheek.

"I love you both." Dimitri said turning his head to look at the clock. "I'll see you in a week."

This time he broke the embrace and headed towards the door to which I followed with Lillie in my arms. He opened the door and turned once again to look at us lovingly. We were so close yet we were so far. Lillie turned to look at me then at her daddy as she put up her hand and wiggled her fingers in a goodbye. He laughed once again then left closing the door of our bedroom.

"Daddy go bye bye." Lillie announced sadly looking at me playing with my nazar that hung around my neck.

"It's okay." I told my baby girl placing a kiss on her forehead. "He'll be back before you know it. Look at the bright side you get to sleep in the big bed all week with me."

"Big bed?" She questioned with a squeal and a little laugh as she turned her head behind her to look at the bed that I usually slept on.

"Yes big bed." I cooed tucking a loose strand of hair out of her flawless face. There might be excitement behind her eyes but she was still one tired baby. She must've gotten her sleepy habits from me but boy it was hard to make her fall asleep. That was something that she got from her father.

I glanced at the time and noticed that Lillie and I had two more hours of sleep. Lillie squirmed in my arms meaning that she wanted to go down and go towards the bed by herself. I groaned to myself thinking that she didn't want to go to sleep anymore which meant no more sleep for me and my unborn baby. Sighing I bent down slowly and carefully watching as her bare feet touch the floor. Immediately she bent her knees getting on all fours and she turned around racing around the room. To my surprise she reached the bed and tried to climb on it while gripping on the white sheets in order to support herself.

"Mommy," she said after a few attempts of trying to climb on the bed. "Help."

She pointed at the bed. She looked the bed as if it was going to attack her and she looked at it with a little bit on anger since she couldn't climb up on the bed. I smiled realizing that she switched from calling me 'Ma' to 'Mommy'. I sort of like how mommy rolled off of her tongue. It's better than her sort choppy Ma. Walking, or should I say waddling over towards the bed I bent my knees to place both hands on her waist to raise her up on the bed. Once on the bed she crawled up in the sheets and I stared at her noticing for the first time in a while how small she truly was. She looked so small in our kind size bed with the white sheets all over the place making it look like a cloud. She laid back down on the pillow that belong to Dimitri and snuggled against the pillow brining up the blankets to cover her body.

"Are you going to sleep?" I asked Lillie rubbing my stomach to soothe the sudden ach of the baby kicking in my stomach. I bet our baby boy was even sad at the fact his father left him for a week too. I watched as Lille nodded with her eyes drooping hiding those deep brown eyes that I love so much. I smiled to myself, waddling my way over to the bed to sit on the edge and carefully lift myself on the bed. I covered myself and snuggled into my pillow just staring at my baby girl. She opened her eyes one last time only to see how close I was laying next to her. She scooted herself over to me wanting a cuddle from mommy making my heart flutter. I wrapped my arms around her and she snuggled against my chest falling asleep which I soon followed.

I opened my eyes and the clock informed me that it was eight-thirty. I know that this is early but ever since I found out that I was pregnant it was like the little boy inside my stomach had an alarm. He stirred and stirred inside of my stomach. He didn't calm down until I ate something. I guess that this child would have the Rose Hathaway stomach. I looked over to see that Lillie was still snuggled up to my side and I knew that if she didn't wake up anytime soon then she wouldn't sleep until late and I would be tired the next morning. Trust me, been there and done that.

I wrapped my other arm around Lillie and stoked her hair pressing little kisses on my daughter's forehead. She unconsciously snuggled into the crook of my neck sighing softly. I pressed another kiss on her forehead and shook her softly trying to bring her out of her comforting sleep. Usually she was just as alert as her father but this time she didn't want to wake up.

"Lillie," I shook her softly. "Wakey wakey."

She didn't move she just stirred and took a deep breath. I rolled my eyes and sat up bringing her sleeping form into my lap. She sighed and moved towards the source of the warmth tucking her head near my pregnant belly. Running my fingers through her hair she started to breathe evenly once more and I knew that she was gone. She wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. Adjusting Lillie so her head was nicely tucked in the crook of her neck and I could stand up. Slowly and surely but I did make it out of bed.

I opened the door and headed down the hall towards the living room only to find that there was no one in sight. Usually I would see Christian and Lissa in the kitchen cooking up an awesome breakfast but today it was empty. There was nobody here and it felt weird. A little cold and usual, something that I need to get use to since Dimitri and I have been talking about getting our own place after the baby boy was born. Setting Lillie on the couch covering with a small pink blanket that Dimitri's sister brought for her she snuggled into the couch cushions opening and closing her hands.

My bare feet padded against the kitchen tile as I walked in there since I smelled the food that was lingering in the air. I smiled when I saw pots and pans filled with food and being a generally hungry person and pregnant, I didn't hold back with serving myself. I set my cup and plate full of food on the table and started to eat, which was delicious.

"Knock knock." Janine said coming into the house. She wore a smile and from her posture I knew that she was relaxed meaning that she wasn't on duty today. Closing the door behind her my mother walked over to me hugging me in a greeting.

"Good morning." I told her with a smile as I released her from the embrace.

"Good morning." She said then her hand went down to rub my stomach. "And good morning to you too little one."

Although that last good morning sounded more like a coo rather than a greeting but I didn't mind. After everything that happened with my leaving to Russia to find Dimitri to me getting arrested to breaking out of jail my mother and I renewed our relationship. People that don't know my relationship with my mother in high school would never even know that she wasn't there for most of my childhood. Although I resent her not being there I actually wouldn't change my past. If my mother and I were close throughout the years maybe we wouldn't be as close as we are right now.

"If I didn't know any better I would say you are excited for little Dimitri Jr." I teased her giving her a kiss on the cheek as I went to sit down at the little table located in the kitchen in front of my food. I was starving and with her being here wasn't going to stop me from eating. She laughed a little and pulled up a chair right across from me and sat down.

"So that's what you decided to name him," My mother said gesturing to my stomach. "Dimitri Jr."

"Umm," I said blushing while I swallowed my food giving my mother a sheepish smile. "No."

"No?" She asked curiously. "Why not?"

"Dimitri doesn't want the baby to be named after him." I said shrugging my shoulders reaching for my cup only to come out empty. I forgot to pour some coffee into my cup. I was shocked with myself. I forgot something related to food. Frowning I reached behind me to help support myself up to get some coffee when my mother put up a hand in protest. I sat back down looking at her confused and she just smiled at me.

"I'll get you some." She offered grabbing the cup next to plate standing up effortlessly. I relaxed in my seat and smiled like an idiot. My mother was one of those that thought about her own good but now she's changed and I've never, ever seen her do something for me. Getting me a Christmas gift was completely different to serving me food. Times like these made me realize how much I did miss my mother during my childhood. I missed home cooked meals; I've missed my mother holding me when I got a broken heart, although I was the one that broke hearts, just saying. I've also missed her doing my laundry and just giving me love but something that my mother did give me what other mothers wouldn't is the fact that she gave me the hard persona that I needed in my profession making me strong as well. Something that I'm eternally grateful for.

"Thank you." I said taking another bit of the food that Christian made before he left, wherever he and Lissa did go. Oh, that's right. They went to the guardian convention. Christian went with Dimitri and Lissa had to go because she was the queen. How could that have slipped my mind.

"It's the least that I can do." She commented looking cover her shoulder shooting me a smile. "And I was going to get up and serve myself some coffee so it's two in one."

"Of course it is." I murmured turning my head noticing that my little angel was stirring in her sleep but made no sound indicating that she was going to get up anytime soon.

"I think it's a little weird that Lillie is still sleeping." My mom said tilting her head to the side. Her eyes not leaving Lillie's sleeping figure not even once. I turned my head to look at my little baby girl still sleeping.

"She didn't want to wake up." I commented. I took a final bite out of my egg getting off of my chair slowly and carefully heading towards the living room where my little angel was sleeping. I stood over her only to find that she was awake and was just laying there. Her brown eyes flickered towards me wearily, tiredly resting her head on the cushion. Raising her arm she reached toward me sadly and quite frankly I am a little scared right not.

Compassion written all over my face I bent down, careful with my pregnant tummy, lifting her in my arm which she completely complied. She hugged my close to her wrapping her thin, fragile arms around me burying her head in my neck. She coughed sadly then scrunched her face sadly starting to wail. I rocked her softly and turned towards my mother with a scared expression. My maternal instincts took over and I immediately knew that she was sick although my Dhampir brain told me that she can't be sick.

I looked over to my mother suddenly panicking and she just watched me sighing deeply. She placed the cups of coffee that she was serving on the counter and rushed towards me. Just like a mother would in a time in need. Just like I should be doing with Lillie but I have no idea what is going on. Here I am rocking my child back and forth trying to calm her down but not really finding the source of why she was crying in the first place.

Calmly my mom placed the back of her hand on Lillie's forehead. She sighed and looked at me giving me a sympathetic smile placing a hand on my shoulder as I looked at her with tears in my eyes threatening to fall down my face showing me weakness.

"She's just sick. She has a minor cold." My mother comforted me and I shook my head immediately thinking the worst. Maybe she was a Dhampir that got sick all the time because both of her parents are Dhampir and that isn't impossible. Or maybe she was like Victor that got an incurable disease at a young age. My baby wouldn't live her life.

"Rose, calm down." My mother said in a firm, motherly tone snapping my out of my rambling. "It's just a cold."

"What if it isn't?" I questioned still rocking my child back and forth trying to comfort her but it wasn't working. "What is she's like Victor or she'll get sick like a human all the time because Dimitri and I are Dhampirs?"

"She'll be fine. She's a Dhampir. We all see it and even the doctors see it." My mother explained trying to comfort me. She had an usual sympathetic look on her face and she kept rubbing my back.

"What if?" I mumbled placing a kiss on my crying child's forehead.

"What if's don't exist." She said kissing my on the side of my head. "Babies have poor immune system Moroi, Dhampirs, or human. It happens. When you were only two years old you got the chicken pox. I cried over and over again but you know what? You were fine. I had no one to help me or comfort me but that's why I'm here now. I know I haven't been here in the past but I'm here now to help you."

"Are you sure?" I asked unsurely.

"Positive."

I sighed pulling my child away from my neck to look at her tired eyes that were now red from all of the crying. She rubbed her forehead with her chubby hands shaking her head sadly.

"Mommy." She cried with tears spilling down her eyes. "Hurt."

"I know baby." I cooed once again bringing her to my chest. "I know."

"I'll go to the pharmacy and pick up some medicine." My mom said breaking me from my trance. My eyes flickered to her.

"They have a pharmacy here?" I asked. Now that I think of it I never ever saw a pharmacy here. I didn't even know that they existed here but then again where the hell did I get my pregnancy test. Think Rose, Think.

"Yes," She rolled her eyes. "Some of us do get sick once and a while. Hard to get sick? Yes. But it happens."

"Could you hurry up?" I asked impatiently silently scolding myself. I asked a question, delaying her and now all of a sudden I was kicking her out. I couldn't believe that I was saying this but I couldn't wait until this baby boy is born so I could just live my life hormone free. Well not hormone free since I was still Rose Hathaway but still normal.

"I'm on it." My mother smiled turning to leave towards the door. She didn't think anything of it. She was seriously the best.

"Cold." Lillie cried in my arms. I looked down to see the mop of brown hair on my shoulder mingling with mine. I smile noticing that she did have her daddy's hair and made me wonder what my baby boy would look like. Not that it mattered what he looked like right now. Trying to make my little Lillie stop crying and make her stop hurting is what mattered right now.

"How about a bath?" I asked her heading towards my bedroom to give her a shower in Dimitri and I's bathroom.

"No." She mumbled.

"Yes," I said enthusiastically trying to make get a bath would be fun.

"No." She said with a stubborn tone. I smiled to myself since she stopped crying to argue with me. She was truly my child; there was no doubt about it. I unleashed a mini me loose into the world and with this family nobody stood a chance against us.

"It'll make you warmer." I said in a singsong voice placing her on the diaper changer that Lissa bought for me when she first found out that I was pregnant. Something that came in handy right now. I rested her on her back and she squirmed, kicked and whined as I started to strip her out of her clothes to give her a warm bath. My mission right now was to get her fever cooled down while my mom came back with medicine.

"No." She said this time scrunching her eyebrows trying to look serious. I dropped my hands to my side and just stared at her raising both of my eyebrows. Curious with what I was going to do she stopped squirming at me, tilting her head to the side. She rested her hand on her bare tummy sighing at the fact that I only managed to take off her shirt.

"Yes." I said mischievously bringing my hands up to my face wiggling my fingers at her. She giggled and I sighed in relief at the fact that she giggled. "That's not going to stop me." I grinned leaning forward slowly only making her turn on her stomach trying to army crawl away from me but came empty since she had no way to turn. She turned her head looking at me still grinning and shook her head.

"Mommy, no." She dragged on knowing what coming as my fingers was reached her waist turning her on the diaper changer so she rested her back. I began tickling her lightly on her side and her stomach. She squirmed laughing and I giggled as well loving the musical sound that was coming out of my little angel's throat. Could be the worst day in the world and just hearing her laugh or giggle would make me laugh and giggle as well. This little girl had the world wrapped up in her tiny finger and I wouldn't change that for anything in this world.

I brought her up to my chest supporting her with one arm as my other hand wouldn't stop tickling her and making her laugh. She squirmed in my arms trying to get away from the fingers that caused her so much laughter but she didn't have an alibi. She was stuck with nowhere to go. I stopped as her laughter ceased into short giggles.

"Time for the shower." I sang resting my forehead against hers. With a smile still on her face she rested her hand on my cheek and noticed that it was warm as well.

"No." She giggled placing both of her hands on her tummy.

"Yes." I giggled.

"You." She pointed at me her eyes still shinning.

"Me?" I said pointing at myself and she nodded furiously. "No, you're the one that's all hot. You take a bath."

"No," she stated and I started to tickle her once again making her squeal.

"No more arguing. You're taking a bath." I stated firmly yet I think my face betrayed me since I was still smiling and grinning at her. She shook her head but she was just playing with me. She kept giggling and I knew that this was better from what she was feeling earlier. I still needed to find out where it had hurt but I'll ask her when she's calmed down.

"You." She pointed at me from where she was laying on her diaper changer. Unlike the other time she let me undress her until she was in her diaper. She shivered and I guessed that was because she was feeling cold.

"Me?" I questioned raising my eyebrows slowly walking towards the bathtub turning it on with semi warm water. Warm enough for her to feel warm yet cool enough for her to cool down to hopefully feel slightly better.

"Bath mommy bath." She squealed getting frustrated with her limited vocabulary.

"You want me to take a bath with you?" I questioned with a smile feeling accomplished that I understood her. Usually she would just ramble words for the sake of rambling words she knew. Just showing everyone how smart she was. One time while I was on duty I got a call from Dimitri, which was unusual because he was really didn't call me unless something was wrong. Anyways, I answered it and all I heard from the other line was Lillie giggling saying "Mommy, boat, shoe, bath, sock, food, milk." Rambling random words over and over again.

Instead of answering me she just nodded and lifted her arms up wiggling her fingers up at me. I leaned down making our foreheads touched as she tried to tickle my neck. I giggled at the fact that she was trying to do the same thing that I was doing to her but she thought that I was giggling at her tickling me. I wouldn't even bother to correct her since that's what made my girl happy right now.

"No tickle." I cooed and she laughed throwing her head back before looking at me with her intense brown eyes.

"Yes." She giggled just like it did. I brought me hands up to her waist so I could bring her close to me. Now she was in my arms but I didn't leave the intimate space between us. Her forehead was still on mine and we were eye to eye. Her fingers didn't leave my neck since she was trying to torture me like I tortured her but it just didn't work. Ignorance is bliss, right?

I placed a gentle kiss on her chin, then both of her cheeks as she tried not to stop her tickling but I was over ruling the baby in the tickle war. I then buried my face into her neck and blew raspberries in her neck and she erupted in giggles placing both of her hands on my cheeks trying to push me off I would assume. Granting her wish I pulled away to look at her and she just giggled.

"Again." She croaked. I stared at her. This was the first time that she showed that she was sick since she was in the living room crying that she hurt. I didn't forget per say since it was in the back of my mind but while she was giggling and laughing and having a good time I did oversee that she was sick.

I kissed her forehead and her hands were still on my cheeks. She started to giggle preparing for the tickle monster and I couldn't help but want her to laugh. This time I didn't really blow raspberries in her neck but I lifted her over my head and my lips connected with her stomach as I blew raspberries on her stomach instead. She placed both of her hands on my head squirming in my hands.

"If I didn't know better I wouldn't even know Lillie pad was sick." My mother said in the doorway of the bathroom. Both Lillie and I turned to look at my mother that was leaning on the doorway with her arms crossed across her chest and an amusing smile on her lips. I smiled at her and brought Lillie down so she could rest on my hip.

"Grandma!" Lillie announced clapping her hands together with a goofy grin on her face.

"Yes," my mom said pushing herself off of the doorway walking towards us. "I'm here with someone's medicine."

"I was going to make her get in the bath so I could cool her off." I explained as Lillie threw herself into my mom's arms. My mom gladly accepted and smiled at her. Never, ever have I seen my mother be so nice to children. Sure, she had that natural protectiveness that every guardian had but now my mom had a natural light around her as she cradled my child.

"That's good." She smiled at me before she smiled at me.

"Mommy ickled me." She explained with a giggle placing both of her hands on her stomach making my mom laugh.

"I think you mean tickled, honey." I said walking past my mom to get some towels and everything that was necessary for her to give her a bath well us a bath. In which I had to find a bathing suit so I could wear.

"ickled?" she repeated still not saying it with a 't'.

"You are doing a great job with her." My mom commented as I walked into the bathroom with her shampoo, my bathing suit, a fresh diaper for Lillie, some pajamas for Lillie along with some of her toys. I placed them all on the counter and turned to look at my mom.

"No I'm not." I denied suddenly sad. I looked down at the floor not being able to look at my mom in the eye. How could I be a great mother when all I wanted was to make her happy and not able to cure her? Right now all I was doing was making her giggle to ignore the fact that Lillie was sick. This was definitely something that I wasn't used to.

"Oh," my mom said making my head snap up to look at her mother. "But you are."

"How could I be a loving mother when…when I didn't know what was wrong with her just now in the living room? What would I've done if you weren't here with me? Why am I so dependent on Dimitri when it comes to parenting Lillie? How am I going to do this with another child on the way?" I asked frantically. I don't know if it were my hormones or if it were the emotions getting the best of me. Whatever the hell it was it made me cry. I was crying right there in front of my child and my mother. Something that I vowed never to do because I didn't want to seem weak in front of neither of them.

"Mommy no cry." Lillie said looking sympathetic. I flickered my gaze towards my child only to see that the smile that was plastered on her face a few seconds ago was gone. She opened her arms towards me which I reached over to go and grab her. I rested Lillie on my hip and she brought her hand up to my cheek and wiped away the tears. I smiled at her sadly and pressed a kiss on her forehead.

"Rose," My mom said looking suddenly awkward. "You didn't know. Like I said I panicked when you were a baby. I took you to the doctor and they told me that babies have a weak immune system. It's just a cold. By tomorrow she'll feel better. You made her stop crying or look like she was sick and that's the first step. Don't sweat it because you are doing excellent. You are a natural."

"I don't feel like a natural." I mumbled as I squeezed my eyes shut making me tears fall down my face and a lump appear in my throat that no amount of swallowing could make disappear.

"Most naturals don't." My mom smiled walking towards us as she wrapped her arms around me and my daughter in a comforting motion. "You and Dimitri surprise me. You surprised me when you got together, when you decided to get married, when you told me that you can have kids, when you guys raised this wonderful child and most of all how you guys manage to guard your Moroi yet be there for your child every day. You make it work and that's something I couldn't do. So that makes you a wonderful mother believe it or not."

I looked up to see my mom and by the look of her face I could tell that she meant what she said. This time more tears fell down my face but it wasn't because of sadness it was because even though I did resent my mother during my childhood and say that I hated her I always wanted to make her proud. I managed what I wanted to do during my high school years making me mother proud. I finally succeeded.

"Thanks mom." I told her resting my head on her shoulder and she laughed.

"You're welcome." She said pressing a kiss on my temple shocking me till no end but I wasn't going to tell my mother that or act like it either. "I better get going but I will come back later to check up on you and Lillie pad."

"You don't have to." I said readjusting Lillie on my hip as my mother let go of the embrace heading towards the door.

"I don't have to but I want to." She agreed standing by the door tilting her head as she stared at me. Suddenly she stopped looking serious smiling at me with a light face. Seeing her be so light, carefree and smiley was so surreal.

"Bye." I called.

She waved back and Lillie waved as well before resting her forehead against my shoulder looking as weary as she did when she woke up. I groaned to myself and couldn't help but think that she looked like that because of me. I looked at her as she just looked spaced out staring at the door where my mother just left. I grinned looking down at her.

"Lillie," I said as she looked over at me looking for who said her name. "You want for the tickle monster to come to get you?"

"No." she stated and it sounded tired yet it came out as a squeal. I laughed and I set Lillie down on the diaper changer she just stared at me. Looking at her right now made me really count my blessings. She was one of the best wait no, scratch that, she is one of the best things that anyone could ever imagine. Her, my unborn baby boy, Dimitri and then all my friends are what matters to me most.

"Let's take a bath." I said leaning over to give her a tiny kiss on the forehead as I went to change into my bathing suit so my angel and I could shower together.

During our shower Lillie was all giggles and laughs. She would play with her toys, make noises, and even rub my belly. She would grin at me and I would grin back hearing her ramble. I washed her hair and tickled her as I cleaned her up when she started coughing. Following the coughing, Lillie started to cry. I hugged her close and cried to comfort her once again but I knew that it wasn't going to work.

I grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her and got out of the shower. I changed her quickly but the biggest challenge wasn't doing all this physical work as she wailed, kicked, and cries while pregnant on top of that. No. I biggest challenge was feeding her the medicine. Saying that it wasn't the greatest taste in the world was in an understatement. It smelled nasty and I didn't want to imagine what it tasted like. When she took a deep breath and opened her mouth to let out a scream as she cried I finally managed to get the spoon her mouth with the medicine.

She swallowed then cried even more and I could see her mouth pink from the medicine. There was nothing I could do now but comfort her. She wrapped her arms around my neck and cried in my neck. I rocked her softly and walked towards my bed. I sat there on my unmade bed and rocked her back and forth as she cried.

"You wanna watch TV?" I asked her rubbing her back softly. She shook her head and continued crying. I reached towards my bedside bed and turned on the TV anyways. I changed the channel to her favorite show and I rocked her softly. She heard the noise of the TV and turned her head to take a peek at the figures that were playing on the television. She didn't cry anymore seeing that her favorite cartoon was on TV but she didn't let go. I sighed and releasing her hold setting her on the middle of the bed. She just sat there and stared at me with her big brown eyes with her eyes to the side and her legs extended out.

She wrinkled her nose and then scrunched out her face starting to cry. She let out a long, loud wail with her arms staying limply on her side. I sighed sadly not being able to bare my child crying so I extended my arms out towards her and she reached towards me. I brought her into my arms and walked out of the living room.

"Why are you crying?" I asked her but it was more of a rhetorical question since she wasn't going to answer because she was too busy crying. "I already gave you medicine that's supposed to be working and I bathed you so you should be relaxed. How about a nap?"

I grabbed her a bottle of milk and walked towards the bedroom with a sick, crying baby. I sat down on my bed and rocked her silently. I pulled the covers away laying down on the bed and I laid her down next to me with her head resting on her shoulder. She cried into the side on my chest and I stroked her hair softly and soothingly. When she finally stopped crying but sniffed softly and hiccupped her attention turned to the TV where her show was on. I grabbed the bottle placing it in her mouth and she placed both hands on the side of the bottle to hold it up and started to drink the milk.

She snuggled against me and turned her body so the front of her tiny body was plastered against the side on mine. She rested her hand on my stomach drinking her milk happily and every once in a while she would stop drinking her milk to giggle. I smiled at the fact that she giggled. I reached over and grabbed Dimitri's pillow putting it under my head so I could watch the TV yet relax. When I felt something wet on the arm that I had Lillie in I looked down to see what it was. It was Lillie's bottle. She let go of it as she drifted off to sleep. I smiled to myself reached to get the bottle placing it on the bedside table and grabbed the control and changed the channel.

An annoying ringing broke the warm, calm atmosphere. In fear that the ringing would wake up Leslie I looked frantically for the phone only to find it still connected to the charger on the bedside table. I reached over for it to see that it was Dimitri. I grinned and flipped the phone open placing it to my ear immediately.

"Hey." I greeted with a grin and looked down to see that Lillie still didn't wake up no matter what the noise was. She was a heavy sleeper, when she wanted to be that is.

"Hey, I just arrived in New York and I have several hours until I hop on another one." Dimitri said over the phone sounding just as sexy as he did when he left. That man was awesome.

"You know when I say 'hey' you respond with a short 'hey, how are you'." I teased with a giggle in hushed tones.

"Yeah well I just decided to let you know. For kicks and giggles." He responded making me laugh. When does anyone say kicks and giggles? No wait a lot of people say that but when did he start saying that.

"Kicks and giggle?" I questioned in amusement

"A kid just walked by with her younger sister and she said it. I thought it would be funny and would make you laugh." Dimitri said with a laugh.

"Well you were right." I said giggling. "You did make me laugh."

"That's good. So how's little angel?" he asked curiously changing the conversation.

"Um," I started looking down to see her completely snuggled up to my side, sound asleep. "She's fine. Sleeping right now actually and she's a little sick."

"Sick?"

"Yeah, apparently babies have a weak immune system. Moroi, Dhampirs, or Humans it really doesn't matter." I explained.

"I didn't think that she would get sick." He stated.

"Huh?"

"I didn't think she would get sick. She's always such a burst of energy it's weird to think of her sick." He explained to me but it still got to me.

"So you knew that babies could get sick?" I asked squinting my eyes until they were slits and I just stared out to nowhere and I heard him laugh.

"Yeah," he said laughing. "What kind of person doesn't know that?"

"Uh, me." I said in an obvious tone and made him laugh. "She's been crying all day and I've just calmed her down. It's weird. Her emotions were up and down. Enough to compete with my hormones, which is saying something."

That statement made him laugh.

"Compete with your hormones. That is quite impossible love." He teased through the phone making me roll my eyes in amusement. It's always good to bounce off serious situations with him. He would make me realize what was really going on or make me laugh.

"I'm telling you how it is." I joked shrugging my shoulder.

"Well," he said. "I'll be home soon. If that makes you feel better?"

"It does yet it doesn't." I confessed with a tear falling down my face. I heard the door creak open and I looked up expecting Lissa or Christian but I found Dimitri. I grinned wanting to get up and throw myself at him but he gestured for me to stay put. I closed my phone put it on the bedside table and raised in arm up indicated that I wanted a damn hug from him.

He went over and I felt the bed dip from his weight as he wrapped his arms around my body and I wrapped my single arm around him. I held him close to me and I smelled him. He smelled good and he smelled like home. It's going to sound a little cheesy but I'm going to say it anyways. He was my home. See? I said it was going to be cheesy.

He pulled back and looked down at Lillie. He reached out and stroked her smooth face with a single fingertip smiling. He tilted his head and just watched her adoringly. I saw how his ring that showed the world that he was mine gleam in the light and I never felt so turned on by it.

"My baby." He cooed as he leaned down placing a kiss on the side of her head resulting in making that young baby stir. He leaned back just a little and his eyes never left Lillie's sleeping figure. I reached over with my free hand and ran my fingers through his silky hair and he turned to look at me with a smile. He grabbed the hand and kissed it softly before readjusting himself so he could lay in the bed with us. He was extremely careful not to squish Lillie and wrapped an arm around my shoulder making my head immediately drop to his shoulder.

"So how did you get out of it?" I asked and he knew that by 'it' it meant the guardian convention.

"Ahh," he sighed playfully making my lift my head slightly so I could stare at him. He turned his head with a smile and pressed his lips against mine quickly in a loving peck. "You know the benefits of knowing the queen."

"Lissa let you off the hook?" I asked raising my eyebrows.

"Yes." He answered. "She told them that you were about to burst any minute and that I should be here for you."

"That's Lissa for you." I said resting my bed against his shoulder again and my eyes suddenly felt droopy.

"Sleep my Roza." He said and I nodded against his shoulder.

"I'm glad you're here." I murmured slowly closing my eyes.

"I'm glad I'm here too." He said and pressed a kiss on the side of my head. He brought his hand up to my hair and stroked it loving knowing that's what made me go to sleep. He knew me so well and that's what a real relationship was. I was grateful for that. That night I dreamt about my mother and Lillie. Thank god for mothers.