With An Addition (VA Fanfic)

The consequences & the save

RPOV
"Wake up, sweetie," someone called in my ear. "Roza," the accent thickened and my eyes flashed open in panic as I recognised the voice.
"Don't do that!" I growled so quietly it was practically mouthed as I reached over Jenée to punch him.

It was my half-asleep, protective-mother instinct that drove my words and actions. I'd always lived by punch first, see who it was later, but once on the run- and especially after delivering Jenée early- that tendency became my driving instinct, my lifeline and my baby's lifeline.

"Ouch, Rose," he whispered as he rubbed his strong, sexy jaw. Well, that was a first. And god Rose, stop it. I've got to be insane to put myself through that again.
"What'd you expect? You woke up a guardian-trained mother."
"Come on, Jenée, Rose. Let's go."
"Mr 'Mitri!" Did she have to jump on me to beg Dimitri to pick her up?
"What do you say, Momma?" asked Dimitri.
"I say this Princess gets what she wants," I groaned and rubbed where she'd jumped on my thighs.
"Yay!" squealed Jenée as Dimitri lifted her off me and up onto his hip. I shook my head as I stood and followed them out onto Tarmac.

What happened there? asked Lissa through the bond as she subtly eyed off Dimitri and Jenée. I just smiled and shrugged my shoulders minutely. No one could know about the bond we shared. It was strange and scary and new... well, not new new, but something we didn't have a clue how to navigate.

When I realised where they were leading us I demanded Jenée back.
"Dimitri, put her down. Jenée, sweetie, can you come walk with Momma."
"'Mitri?" she puppy-eyed.
"No, Jenée. You have until the count of three," I snapped. I loved her to bits and often worked hard to stay calm but there were times when I needed her to listen. Now was one of those times. "One..." I narrowed my eyes at Dimitri.
"Two..." he warned and placed her down on her feet.
"Thr... Good girl," we said in unison as she reluctantly came to my side. I nodded at Dimitri. He returned it with a small twitch of his lips; something warm and powerful shot between us.  This. Cannot. Be. Happening! If any of us get attached I won't succeed in getting Lissa and Jenée out again, and it's the three of us out there or the three of us staying. I'd rather it be the former not the latter.

Scared and in denial I shifted my gaze to my baby girl and ran my right hand over her coming-loose braid. Deciding we were as safe as we could be here I pulled the hair band out and released her almost-untameable nearly-black curls. My fingers worked through the mess and attempted to fluff it up before we stepped into the commons. At breakfast time. My biggest secret became a reality to them instead of a stupid rumour without substance. The substance was standing right next to me and clinging to my leg. Her father's shyness taking over. She wasn't the only one avoiding attention as we walked through the students gathered for breakfast. Up ahead of me Lissa was suddenly finding the floor more interesting than her niece. Now that's saying something given how much she loves Jenée.

Me, however, I was keeping my head held high and returned my classmates gazes as they gaped and started gossiping. These rumours were going to be more vicious than simply vicious and half that reason was because they surrounded Jenée and involved slamming me- her mother. It was going to hurt me more than I'd dare let on because they were going to hurt her, my precious baby. Who just tugged me to a stop. Her eyes moved up to a shocked but still smirking red-haired dhampir novice and my best mate.
"Mason, lose the look, seriously. Now's not the time to be thinking of me like That." He was still surrounded by the normal novice suspects.
"Rose, it's-"
"Eddie, not here." I turned to pick Jenée up and keep our walk-of-shame going so it would be over sooner. "Baby language, please."
"I no baby, Momma," whined Jenée in my ear.
I tickled her. "You'll always be Momma's precious baby, Jen." She smiled and giggled in response. I kissed her cheek. I ignored the suddenly dead-silent commons and got us out of there.