Chapter 32

"Mom?"

All eyes were on Maddie as she stared daggers at Vlad. She had yet to say one word, but the look on her face was terrifying enough. Roz was desperately trying to get her attention, to get their heated exchange over with.

Knowing what trouble was brewing, Ashlin and Evan left as quickly as they came. The only acknowledgement the two made to Roz was to mimic a phone call, hinting that they would talk later. Jack was just as speechless as his wife, but he did manage to nudge Danny and Jazz upstairs and out of the way with a nod of his head toward the staircase. Danny's eyes were almost as hard as his mother's.

All that remained in the living room now were the two couples. Roz still clung to Vlad's open shirt.

"Upstairs," Maddie finally said as her eyes shifted to her daughter.

Roz shook her head, but Maddie wasn't having any of it. "Roslynne, I need to have a few words with you in private." Her tone was calm, but there was the slightest edge to it.

"No," Roz retorted as she turned to face her mother. "You want me to go upstairs so you can bitch at Vlad in private."

"Roz-" Jack scolded, stopping when his wife held up a finger.

"Roz", Maddie started while taking a deep breath. She closed her eyes, where they softened as they reopened and found her daughter. "Upstairs."

The more Roz stared at her mother, the more she could read her emotions. She was angry, yes, but her eyes also showed hints of worry and hurt. She too sighed. Stealing a glance at Vlad, who gave her a reassuring grin, she followed her mother slowly up the stairs.

She mentally crossed her fingers that the conversation would go well. As well as it could, anyway. The two continued on in silence. Even after they flipped the light switched and entered Roz's room, Maddie stood silently on the other side, staring with her arms crossed. Roz gently closed her door.

Maddie stood up straight while her daughter's shoulders sat slumped. Her expression softened as her violet eyes looked over her. "You look beautiful," she said with a small smile.

Roz grinned awkwardly as her eyes dropped. "Vlad agrees." Well obviously, since he just had you pinned to the wall, her thoughts said with an eye roll.

The tension between two returned just as quickly as it had dropped. Maddie dug her nails gently into her crossed arms before running one over her face. "Roz, I…"

"I know it's a shock," she interrupted as her mother paused, "but please don't make this into a big deal." Her voice was soft.

Maddie sighed sadly. "Honey, I don't want to. It's just…this is why you ran away? To shack up with Vlad?"

Roz's breath hitched. "I didn't leave to shack up with him, Mom. I know it was impulsive, but I left because I needed some space. Vlad offered it and this happened because of it. And please don't say his name like it's a deadly disease."

Maddie sat down on the edge of Roz's white bed and patted the space beside her. She hesitated, but complied as she smoothed her copper dress and took a seat. The two locked eyes and Roz continued as her mother failed to respond.

"I can't believe you would assume that was my reason."

"Roz, I just walked in on you two tangled up against the wall! How can I not assume?"

The young woman bit her lip as she looked away. "Mom, I didn't leave to have a secret fling. Look, no one understands each other like we do, and you knew we were close friends. After spending actual time together we just…sparked into something more. And you wouldn't have walked in on us if I had any idea where you all disappeared to. On my birthday."

Maddie placed her hand over one of her daughter's. "The surprise was part of our plan. Don't think we forgot about you. We never would." She looked apologetically at her daughter, but Roz just shrugged as if she wasn't convinced.

"Roslynne, you've always been very independent and rebellious. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but there have been times I've worried about you. And when you started getting close to Vlad I…"

The older woman paused as that hint of worry from before spread across her entire face.

"It's not that I don't trust or believe you, it's him."

"You don't have to worry," Roz smiled. "Mom, he's amazing." Her green eyes were bright and happy.

Maddie almost cringed at her daughter's tone as she looked away. She gave Roz's hand a squeeze as she whispered, "Have you been with him?"

Although Roz was tempted to cringe herself at the question, a sly grin that unintentionally spread across her face was all the answer she needed to give. "Oh, Roz" Maddie sighed.

Roz whipped her hand away. "What?" she snapped. "Mom, I'm old enough to make those decisions on my own and it wasn't under your roof. We've been careful." In a weird sort of way, her thoughts added.

"Because it's Vlad, Roslynne!" Maddie hissed. "The same man who's been obsessed with me for twenty years and tried to get me to leave your father. I don't like him, I don't trust him, and I especially don't trust him with you."

"He's not the same person, Mom." Roz was no longer trying to stay calm. Her face hardened and eyebrows furrowed. Like with Danny, she just couldn't let anyone talk about Vlad that way. "All of that's behind him."

"Because you're distracting him. Roslynne, you look so much me-"

"How can you say that!?" Roz screamed as she tore away from the bed. "You don't know him half as well as I do, or even half as much as Dad does, for that matter. Yes, he's been out of line in the past, but that's not the person he is anymore. It's not because I'm a distraction or the younger you; it's because I helped him get over you.

"And yes, he did direct those same feelings for me after that, but it's not because of some sick, twisted plan. It's not because he's crazy, or evil, or obsessive; it's because he loves me. Is that also so hard to believe?"

Maddie stood, but she didn't approach her daughter. She pursed her lips and stared for a moment, not entirely sure how to respond. "Roz, no one wants to see you happy more than I do, but-"

"Then why are you saying these things?" Her heart hammered in her chest.

"But," Maddie continued, ignoring the interruption, "I can't approve of this. I'm not comfortable with it at all. I don't want you seeing Vlad, I don't want you moving to Wisconsin, which I now know the real reason for, and I certainly don't want him in this house a second longer."

Roz stood there with her mouth hanging open. Part of her almost thought her mother was joking, but the stern look on her face showed that she was completely serious. Roz thought she was going to vomit as she struggled to find her voice. "I love him," was all she could manage.

As tears started to well up in her daughter's eyes, Maddie's face fell as she finally stepped forward with her arms outstretched. "Roz…"

But she refused. Roz took a step back as her tears fell and hands curled into fists. Her voice rose dramatically as she began to rant. "Why are my needs and feelings always pushed aside or looked down on? You want to know why I left? This is it. I'm the happiest I've ever been, I'm at ease and in love, but you're trying to take that away. It's like I'm not supposed to be happy.

"And you're only upset because it involves Vlad. Vlad's the only person who makes me feel the complete opposite. I'll be the first to admit that Vlad does have an arrogant side to him, but he makes me feel like I'm the center of his universe.

"I knew you wouldn't instantly accept that we're together, but it hurts that I have to defend him, that I have to try to convince you that he's at least a decent person. I'm head over heels in love with this man, but instead of getting the chance to tell you how happy I am, you act like I've done something wrong.

"You may not like this, but you will have to accept it. I'm never going to push him away or let him go. If you want to kick him out, then I'll be right behind him. And I will be going to Wisconsin. Whether I leave in a few weeks or a few hours is up to you."

Maddie stood still as stone with her lips parted. The two of them had shared heated exchanged before, but never had Roz shown so much passion behind her words than now. Even after Roz started sobbing and rushed past to lock herself in her bathroom, Maddie still didn't move.

Downstairs, Jack and Vlad looked at each other from opposite sides of the den. Vlad had since buttoned his shirt and, fearing that Jack may be as frightening has his wife, silently walked off to his makeshift bedroom. Jack had followed, but the man had never found his words.

Muffled shouting could be heard from upstairs. Vlad wanted nothing more to run up to Roz's defense, but Jack stood in the way.

"I suppose it's my turn," Vlad mumbled when silence set in. He turned to the dark window and stared mindlessly.

Jack looked over the man who was once his best friend, not entirely sure how to feel. "Maddie and Roz have always butted heads. They're too much alike." When Vlad didn't respond, Jack cleared his throat. "So, are you two…?"

"We're in a relationship, Jack," Vlad replied matter-of-factly. "Quite a serious one."

The larger man was torn. His fatherly instinct raged at the sight of seeing his daughter wrapped around this man, but the same man was also someone he used to be very close to. "Despite the fact I'm probably going to be scarred for life after seeing that, I'm glad she's with someone I can trust."

Vlad almost burst out laughing. He was the very last person on earth that should have his trust. That was old news, though. While it had been rocky at first, Vlad had won and earned this Fenton woman the right way. He bit the inside of his cheek before asking softly, "You trust me with her?"

"Of course, Vladdy," Jack replied in a light tone. "Sure, part of me wants to punch you in the face, but…" He shrugged as his words trailed off.

Vlad didn't respond as he looked at Jack's reflection in the window. Keeping his promise to Roz, instead of seeing the man who ruined his life, he saw the father of the woman he loved. Vlad was just about to express his gratitude when Maddie could be heard coming into the den.

"Jack, I completely crushed her," Maddie told him sadly. Her eyes were on the verge of spilling over until they saw Vlad standing on the other side of the room. He had finally whipped at her comment.

"What did you say to her?" he asked in a stern tone.

Maddie's face instantly turned to one of agitation. "Do not get a tone with me, Vlad. I haven't even begun to express how I really feel about this."

Vlad slowly closed the distance between them. "So you take your anger out on her instead of me?" Such a woman was certainly not the Maddie he used to know. Ignoring Jack, Vlad pushed past Maddie as he rolled his eyes.

"Where are you going?" Maddie nearly hissed. She started to follow Vlad, but Jack gently put a hand on her shoulder.

Vlad didn't turn around as he answered. "Where I'm needed," he replied as he reached the staircase. While he didn't run up the stairs, his pace was quickened. Not even the audible bickering of Jack and Maddie distracted him.

Roz's room was the first on the left of the second floor. It took seconds to reach, which is why Vlad's hand hovered nervously over the doorknob. He knew she was in there crying and it was something he did not want to see; he had too often in too short a time.

He took a deep breath as he entered slowly, holding it when he saw Roz crumpled up on the bed with her back turned. Prussia was rubbing against her back and occasionally pawing at her hair, but the young woman paid no mind.

Quietly, but not so much that Roz couldn't hear, Vlad closed the door and clicked the lock into place. Slipping his shoes off and nudging the kitten out of the way, he lay down on the bed and wrapped his arms around her. Neither of them said a word, but Vlad held her tighter when her breathing turned shaky.

"Come here," Vlad whispered as he pulled her toward the edge of the bed. She was like dead weight until Roz stood on her own and looked up at him. Her eyes were tired and red, and her makeup was smeared, but they still brightened at the blue ones opposite her. Vlad kissed her softly before slowly spinning her around.

Roz's body instantly began to unwind as Vlad carefully scooped her hair away from her back. Her eyes closed when his hot breath hit her neck when he reached down to kiss it. And when his fingers found and began to pull on the zipper of her dress, her knees instantly went weak.

Smiling as she bit her lip, Roz stood still and let Vlad slip her one shoulder strap off. She shivered as the copper fabric fell from her body, leaving her in nothing but Vlad's necklace.

"It seems I wasn't the only one who had plans for today," Vlad hinted at her lack of underwear.

"Guilty," Roz replied tiredly. She turned to look up at Vlad, where a full smile spread across her face. Their lips found each other before more could be said.

Roz slowly trailed her hands down Vlad's chest, unbuttoning his shirt for a second time as she did so. Vlad let his shirt fall from his shoulders to meet her dress on the floor. He let Roz pull away from him as she got back into bed and waited for him to finish undressing.

The two closed their eyes as their bodies hovered close to each other. Vlad kissed her deeply, causing Roz to pull his hair loose. Her insides fluttered as she combed though it with one hand and caressed his jaw with the other.

Just when she was about to protest against the lack of touch between their bodies, Vlad pulled away and pressed their foreheads together. It was then that his weight settled down onto her as he slowly entered her. It was agonizingly slow, but it fit the mood perfectly. As her mouth hung open from a silent gasp as his rhythmic thrusting began, and as her fingers began to run along his back, Roz realized that Vlad wasn't just giving her a birthday fuck. He was showing her the love she badly needed.

AN: Hope you guys enjoyed. Please review. :)