Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to Richelle Mead.

The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by Ms. Belikov. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.

6 months later…

"Seriously, Dimitri? Another one?"

"You must keep warm." My fiancé said, layering the third coat on me. Once that was zipped up, he placed me in a blaring orange parka, followed by a multi-colored scarf, leather gloves, a pale-blue beanie, and giant, comfy brown boots.

It felt like I was baking in the oven. "You know what, General?"

"What." Dimitri pulled me to him, one large hand going to my swollen belly.

"I love you, but you're way too overprotective."

Dark brows knitted together in a fierce and determined expression. "I don't take chances. I will keep the both of you safe."

"Ugh. Okay…I have to get away from you. It's too hot in here to cuddle." I stepped back. "And, ohmigod, look how I walk…like a damn penguin!"

Dimitri's smile was a fond one. "You'll be thankful once we get outside, Roza. The temperature is in the low thirties. Now hold on…let me grab my coat and then we'll leave."

"Better hurry up," I muttered, sweating bullets as the duster was snatched off the rack. "Or else our son is going to pop out of my belly looking like a roasted chicken."

His chuckle made the baby move. "Ohmigod! Come here! Come here! He's kicking again."

Dimitri was over in a flash. Crouching at my feet, he pressed his cheek and both hands to the parka.

"Do you feel it?"

His brown eyes were on fire as he tilted his head up and nodded.

"Say something," I said. "Ivan loves the sound of your voice." When we had first found out the baby's sex, we decided immediately that we'd name him in loving memory of Dimitri's best friend. He absolutely loved it, as did I, so it worked out perfectly.

Dimitri hummed in Russian and the baby went wild.

I laughed in a loud burst, running my fingers through his shoulder-length brown hair. "See, I told you…the baby loves the sound of your voice."

He squeezed his eyes shut. "Yes…he does."

Staring down, I patted my fiancés shoulder, feeling the leather of his coat. "Hey, Comrade?"

"Yes."

"After Ivan's born…we should get him a duster, too. A small one, of course…to fit him."

Dimitri laughed and my stomach thumped. "So he can be a cowboy just like daddy?"

"Exactly." I nodded. "Just imagine the two of you, looking all badass and stuff. But…god, it's so hot in here. And I think we're going to be late for class."

His lids snapped open and he got to his feet in one graceful and fluid motion. Glancing at the black watch on his left wrist, he nodded. "You're right."

When he ran into the kitchen, I whined in protest.

That was until…

Dimitri came back with a Tootsie pop. "Orange flavor. Your favorite."

I smiled as he unwrapped the candy and gently stuck it in my awaiting mouth. "Thanks." I murmured around the sweetness, sucking and licking. "Hey babe…does this turn you on?"

His lips lifted into a sly smile. "Yes, a little bit." Pressing a hand to the small of my back, he directed me to the door where I waddled outside.

"How about this?" I made a dramatic show of sticking the lollipop far into my mouth, down my throat. The look on his face made me grin. "I bet it works out in your favor that I have no gag reflex, huh?"

"Rozzzza," Dimitri growled, locking the door to our new three bedroom apartment. "What you are doing now is not fair, and you know it. Class started five minutes ago. Let's go before I do something extremely uncivilized to you…right on the sidewalk."

"Hmm. I kind of like that idea. I bet we could teach the students a damn good lesson in the ol' bump and grind—oh hey, Jill."

Her green eyes were wide. "Oh, hi! Hi General Belikov and Ms. Hathaway! I…uh…I was just on my way to find you. My fellow cadets and I were worried that something had happened…but uh—"

"Everything's fine, Jill." Dimitri cut her off gently. Thank god…the girl was a nervous wreck. But she was also really sweet and I kind of liked her. "Get back to the field. My fiancé is pregnant, as you can see, and I will not rush her. Tell the cadets to wait and be patient."

Jill, too chocked up to form any words, nodded her head like crazy and tore off.

"You should really be nice to her, you know." I laced our fingers together and rested my head on his shoulder as we walked through the snow. Dimitri was right…I was grateful I was so wrapped up in warmth because it was freezing outside. So cold that our breaths made small bursts of fog in the air.

"I'm the General. My job isn't to be nice and coddle my students. It's to teach them respect and discipline." Oh, boy. General Belikov was raising his hard-ass head again. He always did when he was on the job.

To be truthfully honest, I hated it…but it was also the biggest turn on. Him in his military uniform, all that male power and aggressiveness. God, I especially loved it when he brought it home…in bed…

"You said that same thing to me when I was your student. Didn't you?"

"I did."

"Like a billion times." I giggled.

"Anything to get it through that thick skull of yours."

"Butthead—whoa!" My body jerked forward as I slipped on a sheet of ice.

Shit. The cement was going to hurt like hell. I curled into myself, protecting my belly—

Dimitri hooked his arms around my waist and hauled me back onto my feet, just in time…who knows what would have happened had I actually fell.

"Are you okay?" He spun me around, gripping my shoulders.

Slowly, I nodded. "Yeah."

He exhaled in relief, creating a stream of fog in the air. "Goddamn it, Rose. You have to be more careful! You nearly gave me a heart attack. Come here. That's not happening again." With trembling hands, he grabbed his cell and punched in a number.

After quickly demanding maintenance to put more salt on the sidewalks, Dimitri scooped me into his arms and went to the field, where all the cadets were waiting in uniform.

With a tender kiss to my lips, he set me down on the grass and draped a heavy arm around my waist, pulling me into his side. I felt the weight of their shocked eyes on me and blushed. No matter how open Dimitri and I were with our relationship, they still weren't used to the General and PDA.

"What are you all looking at?" he barked. "Get into formation!"

The cadets quickly did—forming six, single filed lines.

I nodded my head. "Y'all are good. Impressive."

"They haven't done anything yet. Do not reward them with your respect and admiration."

As I glowered at my fiancé, he marched over and leaned down to whisper in my ear, "Don't be angry. It's all for show, baby. I have to pretend that I'm tough."

"You are."

He pulled back from me, slipping on his General mask, but I could see the smile in those brown eyes. "You are so kind."

As he walked away, I couldn't help myself. "Nice ass, babe!" I whistled.

The look Dimitri shot me as the cadets coughed awkwardly had me clutching my basketball belly, roaring with laughter.

My day wasn't complete unless I really shook my fiancé up and made him want to pull that beautiful hair of his out.

"No. You're not doing it right." I walked over to a male cadet with blue eyes and blond hair, that real surfer type with too much vitamin D. His pushups were awful. "Your body is not going down close enough to the ground, you look like a girl. Not to mention that butt of yours. Too high."

Bringing one leg up, I pressed down on his back, correcting him. The male cadet collapsed against the mud with a loud thud.

"Back off."

"Excuse me?" As I stared at his cruel face, I was reminded that St. Augustine's Military Academy was a school for troubled teens. That made me wonder what had gotten this kid thrown in here.

Shit…

He shrugged me off and stood up, getting to his feet. I tried to keep the alarm and panic out of my chest when I realized that he had a solid five inches on me and at least seventy pounds.

Something about this teenager didn't sit right with me. Something was off with him…I wasn't sure how I knew that, I just did.

For a split second, my eyes flickered over and searched for Dimitri. I wanted to curse when I spotted him on the other side of the field, supervising a few cadets while they did their sit-ups.

"Scared, female?" Blondie asked. "Look at me. I told you to back the fuck off."

Without a conscious thought on my part, my hands went to my stomach and I eased back a few steps. "That's no way to speak to your hierarchies'." I tried not to show him how scared I was. Sure I could throw a decent punch and hold my own, but I was five and a half months pregnant for Christ's sake. I wasn't about to risk my son's life to prove how tough I was.

"Did I frighten you?" The male cadet's laugh was like snakes slithering all over my skin. I hated it.

"You need to take a step back." I said, glancing at Dimitri who was jogging out in the field with a group of cadets. He had gotten closer to me…but he was still so far away. Too far away.

"Don't even think about calling him. Or screaming." He growled, as if sensing my thoughts.

"Listen here, Blondie. You need to get the fuck away from me before I get your ass in serious trouble."

"Is that a threat?"

"If you listen to what I tell you, then no."

"I don't like people tellin' me what to do. Especially women." He took another step towards me. "My mother used to always order me around, and after I did what she said, she'd beat me until I was bruised and bloody."

"Listen, I don't want to hear your sob story. Just get back to doing your push ups. And make sure they're in correct form—"

"I told you not to talk to me like that." The male cadet lunged at me.

I screamed as we collided and fell, my head slammed against the ground and I saw white spots.

Suddenly the heavy weight that had been pressed on top of me, crushing my stomach until I cried out again, was gone in a flash.

Dazedly, I peeled open my eyes and looked up.

Dimitri was there and so was Blondie. Dimitri was holding the younger male by the back of the neck…and Dimitri was smiling. It wasn't that good kind of smile, that I'm-so-happy smile. It was that smile serial killers gave to their victim's right before they cut them up and wore their skin as a suit.

"Baby…" I croaked, sitting up and wincing as a sharp pain stabbed my skull. "Don't be mad at him…he, he…he didn't mean it." God, was the ground supposed to move like that? And what about the cadets…were they supposed to be spinning? I didn't think that was a good sign…

"You hurt my wife and child." Dimitri's voice didn't sound anything like him and it frightened me. The sound was all distorted with growls and hisses and snarls and malice. "Look at her and tell her you're sorry."

When Blondie didn't do anything in response, Dimitri ripped on some of that blond hair, jerking the cadet's head until it slammed against his back at an unnatural angel. As Blondie howled in pain, Dimitri growled, "Apologize to her. Now."

Frantic blue eyes met mine. "I-I-I…I'm sorry."

Dimitri yanked on his hair again. "Address her appropriately and show her your full respect."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Hathaway. I'm…I'm so sorry for hurting you. I-I-I…I promise I'll never do it again."

"Baby, let him go…you're scaring the other cadets. He said he's sorry. I forgive him."

Dimitri glanced down at me and his eyes softened, positively melted. With one last jerk of Blondie's hair, he threw the teenager to the ground. "You are the luckiest person on the planet right now, Mathew. If my wife wasn't here, there's no telling what I would do." he paused. "But so help me God, if you ever lay one of your goddamn fifthly fingers on her again…yeah, I'm not even going to finish that sentence. I'll leave it to your imagination. Understand?"

The wet spot between Blondie's legs proved just how much he understood. Nodding crazily, he scrambled to his feet and went to join the other cadets.

Dimitri was shaking so badly when I walked over to him. "Baby? Baby? Are you okay? Everything is fine. I'm okay—"

My mouth stopped working when he turned his haunted eyes to me. "Thank God you were here right now, Roza…or else I am positive I would have broken every single bone in his body and enjoyed it."

"Don't talk like that," I pressed my hand to his cheek. He leaned into palm, squeezing his eyes shut. "I'm okay. Ivan is okay. Everything is fine."

Dimitri's eyes flew open. "I'm taking you to the clinic. Right now."

I was about to protest when the look he gave me cut off my words. Lowering my head, I spoke in a defeated tone, "Fine. I'll go."

Grabbing that black radio out of his camo pants, Dimitri reached Alberta and told her that she needed to take over class on the field ASAP. Once she was there, my fiancé pulled me to his side, put one of my arms over his shoulder, and held me off the ground by my waist, supporting my weight.

"I really hate doctors, you know."

He didn't say anything as he opened the doors to the clinic, went right past the receptionist's desk, and straight into the doctor's office. "My wife needs medical assistance. Now."

Dr. Olendzki's head snapped up from her pile of papers, she looked at us with wide eyes behind her glasses. "Take her to room eleven."

Dimitri practically zoomed like Superman through the small clinic, barged into the room, and gently placed me on the bed.

The doctor came in a moment later, slightly breathless as she brushed a strand of dark hair out of her face. I nearly laughed at the fact that my fiancé had the doctor panicked and running all over the clinic in heels.

He was quick to tell her everything that had happened to me out on the field.

Dr. Olendzki asked me a few standard questions as she took my blood pressure and checked my ears, throat, and eyes with an annoying light.

"She has a severe concussion," She said, clicking off the light. "I'd like to run a CT scan to make sure that there is no bleeding in the brain. And also a quick ultrasound to make sure the baby was unharmed in the fall."

Dimitri's General mask was on, but I could see the emotions swirling in his eyes—panic, concern, dread, horror... "Do whatever you need. Just make sure that she's safe and healthy."

While the doctor went off to get the ultrasound machine, I grabbed Dimitri's hand and tried to calm him down. "It's alright, baby. It's just a couple of tests." Pulling his face down to mine, I kissed his lips softly and thoroughly.

When he pulled back, his head was down and his eyes were shut. "Did you not hear her? You have a severe concussion, Roza. A concussion. Oh, god…if anything were to happen to you or the baby I don't what I'd do—"

I smacked his cheek lightly, a few times. "Get hold of yourself, Dimitri! I'm the woman here, the one that's supposed to be freaking out. Not you. So pull it together and be strong for me and the baby."

He cleared his throat and nodded. "You're right."

"Aren't I always?" I smiled cheekily.

Dr. Olendzki rolled the ultrasound machine into the room. Dimitri rolled up my shirt, exposing the swollen belly underneath.

He rubbed my stomach lovingly before placing a kiss to my skin and letting the doctor get to work.

"Alright, Rosemarie. This will be a little cold."

"Yeah. I already know the drill." I held my breath and flinched as she squirted some blue gel on my skin.

"Alright," She took the wand thingy and smoothed it all over my stomach, searching for the baby. "There he is."

Dimitri squeezed my hand as we heard Ivan's heartbeat. "There's his head." She pointed to a spot on the black and white screen. "And his arms and legs and feet."

I giggled, having a silly urge to burst into tears. There was nothing in the world like hearing his heartbeat and seeing him move around in my tummy. After all the pain and heartache I'd been through in my life, seeing him on that little screen, so peaceful and safe in my womb, brought me such joy and happiness. I'd do anything to protect my son, even though I had yet to meet him.

He was a part of me and Dimitri…and I loved him so much already it ached. I couldn't imagine what it would be like after I gave birth.

"And that's his wiener right?" I pointed.

The doctor's nostrils flared slightly. "Yes, ah, that is his penis."

"He's big," I noted, turning to Dimitri. "Takes after his daddy."

I giggled like crazy when he shook his head and smiled. "You say the nicest things," He growled in my ear and placed a kiss to my forehead.

"How is my son?" He asked Dr. Olendzki.

"He was shaken up a bit in the fall, but besides that, he's completely fine and developing at a healthy rate. Actually…he's a little big for his age. But that's nothing to be alarmed about. It just means he's got a big appetite."

"Takes after his mommy," Dimitri smiled breathtakingly. "He loves food."

Once the CT scan was done, the doctor sent us home after telling me to take it easy, meaning no work or exercise. I was told that I would be fine and the concussion would heal eventually. Dimitri promised her that he would bring me back immediately if anything alarming occurred.

And we were on our way.

"Hey, Comrade?"

"Yes." We walked on the grass because Dimitri claimed that the sidewalks were too "dangerous and slippery"…even though they were recently covered in salt.

How long did I have before I have before I gave birth? Three and a half months…

God, I hoped I could survive this pregnancy prison…especially since Dimitri was the warden. I loved the man, but damn, he was overprotective and controlling.

"Can we stop by the cafeteria and grab some ice cream? I'm really craving some chocolate right now."

He nodded and led the way.

"Ohmigod, that was so good." Lissa murmured, licking the last of the ice cream off her fingers.

"Agreed." I rubbed my full belly appreciatively. My best mimicked the movement, and at seven months pregnant herself, we looked liked two Buddha's.

"Where's the washcloths?" Christian asked.

"Bathroom. Under the sink." Dimitri said, sitting down beside me on the couch, carefully handing over a steaming mug of hot cocoa.

"Two packets?" I asked.

"Always." He gave me a kiss.

I parted his long legs and scooted between his thighs, settling my back against his hard chest. Absentmindedly, he ran his fingers through my hair and it was pure heaven.

"Found it!" Christian strolled out of the bathroom holding a wet washcloth. "God, look how messy you are, babe."

I smiled as I watched Christian clean Lissa up. He was so gentle and careful when handling her, as if she was made out of glass. She sat there patiently while he rubbed the edges of her mouth and cheek with the washcloth, then scrubbed her sticky fingers clean.

"Man, you are whipped." Adrian walked into our living room with that same carelessness and confidence he always did. Sydney was hot on his trail, holding his hand. I gave the girl props—any woman who could handle a loose cannon like Adrian was a hero in my book.

"Be careful. Watch were you sit, man! You're on my girls' hand." Christian pushed Adrian off the couch and sat by Lissa, inspecting her for damage.

Sydney laughed as she helped her boyfriend off the floor and called him a silly name. He simply stuck his tongue out, scooped her into his arms, and plopped down on the ground with her in his lap.

"Christian! I'm fine. Stop worrying, will ya?" Lissa ripped her arm away from him.

Dimitri and I laughed when he made an incredulous face at her.

"Great, just great. Look at your shirt…it's got a big chocolate stain on it."

Lissa glanced down at her lime-green turtle neck. There it was. Right on her bulging stomach. A big brown spot.

"You're luck you're pregnant, Liss," I said. "Because if you weren't, that chocolate would have landed on the carpet and been a bitch to get out. You would have had to deal with Dimitri…you know how much of a freak he is when it comes to keeping the carpets clean."

I looked back at my fiancé just as he rolled his eyes.

"My god. I know! Christian is too!" Lissa said. "Just the other day…I spilled some Kool-Aid on the carpet and he had a cow. For hours, he just scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed."

Christian turned his ice-blue eyes to us. "It was red Kool-Aid."

I took a sip of my mug. "Sounds terrifying."

"It was. That shit never came out. It's still there…right in the middle of the dining room floor…staring at me every time I walk by…mocking me."

There was a moment of awkward silence as Christian stood there with haunted eyes, deep in thought.

Sydney smiled and hopped up. "Well, how about those sandwiches?"

Lissa and I made our little sounds of approval, despite the fact that we'd just finished off a whole box of fudgesicles Ah, nothing like two hungry pregnant woman in the same room.

"Yes. But first Lissa has to change her dirty shirt." Christian pulled a fresh, pale-pink turtle neck out his backpack and held it up.

My best friend groaned. "Ughhhhhh."

"Baby, does this make me look like a fatty?" I twirled around the mirror in my new red silk nightgown Dimitri had bought me.

My fiancé was lying on our bed, watching some Old West movie. His dark eyes flickered to mine, and then traveled the length of my body, taking in my feet, legs, swollen stomach, chest…

Yeah, they lingered there for a moment. And I was happy that my breasts had gone up two whole cups.

"You are beautiful," He pronounced each syllable with meaning, his accent growing stronger and deeper as desire took him. "That color makes me want to ravish you."

I winked and smiled. "You can ravish me all night long."

"Not tonight," He said sternly.

"Why not?"

"Because you have a concussion."

"Then don't bang me around too much…no rough sex."

"Absolutely not. No matter how much I want you right now, I am not taking that chance." Dimitri patted the spot beside him. "Come here. Now. Let me hold you in my arms."

"Fine," I climbed into bed. "Just know that I'm not happy."

"Really? You're not? I couldn't tell." Dimitri said dryly, fluffing the pillows and covering my body with the duvet.

I shouted something at him in Russian. It was one of his favorite things to say when he was frustrated with me.

His eyes went wide. "Do you know what that means?"

"No."

"Good. Let's keep it that way." Dimitri leaned over and grabbed a children's book off the nightstand. It was written in Russian and I couldn't understand a thing…but I loved listening to Dimitri's deep voice as he read to our child.

Slipping a hand under my nightgown and onto my stomach, he flipped open the first page. "Good night, Roza. I love you."

"Love you, too." I snuggled into his warm chest as he started reading Ivan and I to sleep.