IF I LOVED YOU//ANASTASIA

V.

"Those you've known and lost still walk behind you..."

♡♡♡

Dmitry waited outside of the house that Anya, her Nana, and Marie Grace lived in together. He didn't know who he expected to come out of the house. Dmitry has no idea what he would say if Marie, Anya's nana, came out of the house. He at least knew that Anya wouldn't believe if he saw him. However, he had a plan if Marie Grace came out of the house. Luckily, that's who came out of the house.

"Are you here to see my mother or Nana?" Marie Grace asked, once she saw Dmitry.

"Oh, Marie Grace... I'm actually here to see you..."

The girl gave Dmitry a confused look.

"I want to talk to you about your father..."

"Oh God, I've heard plenty about my father!" Marie Grace almost yelled. Dmitry was taken aback by what his daughter said. "I'm sorry, Sir... I've just been taunted about him a lot, that's all..."

"Trust me, I understand..." Dmitry said, "But I actually... I knew your father..."

"You did?" Marie Grace asked, excitedly, "I have so many questions. Mama doesn't talk about him... I used to ask her about him all the time, but Nana said I shouldn't. Then I just heard things from other people..."

"Well, what are your questions?"

"Was he really a scoundrel?"

Dmitry sighed.

"Not at all... He grew up poor, with no parents, and sometimes people associate 'poor' with 'bad'. Of course, he made his mistakes, like we all do, but he was clever. A bit defensive, to be honest... He loved you, though..., God, did he love you."

"But Mama said that he died before I was born... How could be love me?" Marie Grace's eyes narrowed, "Wait, were you the man that took him to that boat before he killed himself?"

"No, not at all. His name was Gleb. He wasn't a good man... come to think of it, I haven't seen him around, since I came here. Fathers just have their ways, you know? I remember he would talk to me all the time before you were born. He was terrified that he would be a horrible father." A tear escaped Dmitry's eyes, as he spoke to Marie Grace. He couldn't believe how much he missed of her life.

"Why are you crying?" Marie Grace couldn't help but ask.

"I just... miss him a lot... he was my best friend..."

"I understand... I just wish I could've met him... I see other girls with their fathers all the time... I get sad for a little bit, but I just remember that he's always with me." Marie Grace smiled.

"I have to go now, Marie Grace... Just remember that your father loves you very much, and he wishes that he could've been there for you more than anything else..."

"Funny... that's what Mama said..." Marie Grace told Dmitry, before giving him a hug, "Thank you, Sir..."

"It's no problem..." Dmitry replied, as two more tears rolled down his cheeks.

"By the way, what's your name?" Marie Grace asked, before she walked into her house.

"Dmitry..." he said flatly.

"That was my father's name..." she smiled.

"I know..." Dmitry's eyes gleamed, as he noticed Anya walking towards the door.

"Is that why you two were best friends?"

"I guess you could say that..." Dmitry started to leave, leaving the star on a table, next to the house.

Anya walked outside to meet her daughter.

"Marie Grace, why don't you go inside?" She asked, before approaching Dmitry.

Dmitry jumped as he heard Anya calling out to him. He was terrified to see Anya, though he wanted to see her again. He didn't know if socializing with people that he had left behind was against the Heavenly rules, but he didn't care.

"Sir, why were you talking to my daughter?" Dmitry turned around, and his dark eyes met Anya's green eyes. "Oh my God..."

"What is it?" Dmitry asked.

"Nothing, I'm sorry, I thought you were someone I used to know..." Anya told him.

"Did you think I was Dmitry?" he asked.

"Yeah actually... how did you know?" Anya asked.

"I've been told that we're almost the same person..."

"You can't be him... he's dead... what's your name?"

"Dmitry."

"Don't fool with me... what's your real name?" Anya asked.

"It's Dmitry... I'm telling you the truth." Dmitry couldn't help but run to Anya and kiss her, like old times.

He thought that she would end up slapping him, and screaming in his face. Surprisingly, she kissed him back, both knowing this would be the last kiss they would ever share. Anya, somehow recognized his lips, and knew exactly who she was kissing.

"This must be my imagination..." Anya said, after she pulled away.

"It's not... I was given a day to come down here... to meet Marie Grace and see you again..."

"Yes... I must be dreaming..." Anya smiled, "I'm going back home now... Maybe I'll just wake up..."

"I loved you, Anya... I still do..."

"I loved you too, Dima... Always and forever..."

Dmitry watched quietly, as Anya walked back to her house.

Little to Dmitry's knowledge, Anya noticed the star that he had left outside of the house. She took the star, and tears started to well up in her eyes. She couldn't mention this to Marie Grace or Nana. She carefully took the star inside, as she realized who she was really talking to.

She knew she wasn't dreaming.