𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐘 𝐁𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 , dimitri sudayev

11. Family Reunion...

Dimitri stood outside of the theater leaning against a pillar. He regretted lying to the sisters, especially (Y/N). He felt like a total jerk for making her cry, for leading her on to something that would of never worked out. His heart hurts just thinking about never seeing her again.

He turned his head and noticed the Empress coming down the stairs of the theater, and walking towards her car. Her driver opened her door and bowed as she entered it.

One the other side, Dimitri hopped into the driver's seat and sped off down the road. He turned a sharp corner and the Empress nearly fell over in the back seat.

"Ilya, slow down!" She demanded, holding onto her cane.

Dimitri turned to face her, determined expression shown. "I'm not Ilya, and I won't slow down. Not until you listen."

The Empress gasped, "You! How dare you?" She waved a hand in the air, "Stop this car immediately. Stop this car!"

Dimitri ignored her demands and continued to speed down the road. He dodged other cars and twisted and turned until he pulled up in front of a familiar house.

He got out of the car and opened the Empress's door, "You have to talk to them, to her." He tells her firmly, frowning.

The Empress said nothing and turned away from him.

Dimitri pointed to where the sisters would be, "Just look at them, please!"

The Empress faced him and glared, "I won't be badgered by you a moment longer." She declared.

He pulled out the music box and knelt down in front of her, showing it to her, "Do you recognize this?"

She looked at it, shocked and picked it up, "Where did you get this?"

Dimitri shakes his head, "I know you've been hurt, but it's just possible that she's been as lost and alone as you." He says softly.

The Empress looked up from the music box to him, "You'll stop at nothing, will you?"

He stands up with a small smirk, "I'm probably about as stubborn as you are."

.....

Upstairs in the house, (Y/N) was packing up her belongs with her sister doing the same thing beside her.

Her hands paused on a clothing piece and pick up the familiar (F/C) flower off of it. She holds it up to her face and frowns with a vision blurry. She sniffles and throws the flower away, just as Anya rubs her sisters back and offers her a comforting smile.

A sudden knock at the door as Anya scowling and turning to it, "Go, away Dimitri!" She yelled as she gripped (Y/N)'s arm.

The door opened and footsteps were heard walking into the room, making the sisters turn around and gasp at who was there. The Empress.

(Y/N) quickly sputtered out an apology on behalf of her sister, "Oh, we're sorry, we-we thought you were-"

"I know very well who you thought I was." She interrupted, and walked inside the room more, looking between the siblings, "Who, exactly, are you two?"

The sisters shared a look, "We were hoping you could tell us."

The Empress smiled tiredly, "My dears, I'm old, and I'm tired of being conned and tricked."

"We don't want to trick you." (Y/N) told her honestly, facing the older woman.

"And I suppose the money doesn't interest you either?" She asked skeptically.

The (H/C) haired girl sighs to herself, feeling Anya grab her hand and squeeze it, "We just want to know who we are, whether or not we belong to a family." She moved up closer to the Empress, speaking softer, "Your family."

She eyed the siblings and saw how familiar they looked, but didn't want to experience more heartbreak again and ignored it. "You're very good actors. Best yet, in fact. But..." She trails off and went to leave the room, "I've had enough."

Before she was about to leave, the sisters caught a whiff of something familiar, "Peppermint?"

The Empress paused her steps and looked over her shoulder at them, "An oil for my hands." She answered.

"Yes.." (Y/N) trails off in deep thought in furrows her eyebrows, "I spilled a bottle...the carpet was soaked, and it forever smelled of peppermint." She pulled out her necklace and played with it, smiling, "Like you."

This caught The Empress's attention and she sat down on a bench, listening to her talk.

(Y/N) walked a bit closer to her, with Anya right beside her, "We used to lie there on that rug, and, oh, how I missed you when you went away.." She paused and looked outside at the scenery, "When you came here, to.. Paris."

The Empress gestured for the girls to sit next to her and as they did, she noticed something around (Y/N)'s neck.

She gestured to the necklace, "What is that?"

(Y/N) grabbed it in her hands, holding it up, "This? Oh, I've always had it, ever since before I can remember."

The Empress held out a hand, "May I?" She questioned.

(Y/N) gently took off her necklace and handed it to her. The Empress studied it and placed a hand on her chest.

"It was our secret." She looked up at the sisters, "My (Y/N)'s and mine." She reached into her purse and pulled out the music box.

The sisters both gasp, sharing a wide eyed looked with each other as they remembered something. (Y/N) turns back to The Empress, "The music box." She picked it up and held it in her hands, "To-to sing me to sleep when you were in Paris."

She grabbed the necklace and started to hum the familiar tune, as she placed it into a slot and turned it.

"Hear this song and remember."

The Empress's eyes widened and become teary eyed.

"Soon you'll be...home with me....Once Upon a December."

"Oh, girls." She reaches her hands up and placed each one under their chins, "My (Y/N) and Anastasia!" She exclaimed tearfully and embrace the two girls in a tight, long overdue hug.

They both embraced their grandmother and sighed happily. (Y/N) closes her eyes and melt into the loving embrace and grabs her sister hand tightly in the hug, them finally finding the place where they belong.

As the family reunion continued, her heart fluttered happily inside her chest as she remembered who that young brown haired boy was in her memories.

It was him all along....she thought as a bittersweet smile formed across her lips, burying her face into her grandmothers shoulder.

.....

Outside the building, Dimitri was looking up at the window, knowing she was up there with many emotions, Longing, sorrow, and most of all...love.

He kissed his hand and blew it towards (Y/N) in a last farewell, before turning to walk down the road. He knew she would be happier now, and that was all he ever wanted.