Returning Home: Baia Bound (a Vampire Academy Fanfic)

Baia bound

It was now lunch and Dimitri hadn't left my side. I was currently sitting with the group, hunched over my drop out forms with Dimitri standing behind me. I could feel him and his height made me feel extra short. "Dimitri! You make me height conscious enough normally. Now sit your ass down." I tapped the spot next to me. He didn't move. "Comrade! I might want some help here, with these forms." That had him next to me in a millisecond.
"What are they, Rose?" asked Lissa. Curiosity was coursing through the bond.
I sighed before answering with, "Liss, please don't freak out." I didn't continue until I felt a conscious control an calm coming from her. "Drop out forms. I'm leaving. Something had changed and I have to go."
Shock, then hurt, radiated through to me. She forced herself to calm down and let the control and curiosity takeover again. I was proud of her efforts. "Why?" she cautiously asked. She suspected secrets played a big role.
"I have a family to protect. And I can't do it here."
"Family?!" Christian laughed.
"Yes, Firecrotch. Family." Liss couldn't process it yet. She was stunned that I had even been with anyone. "Liss?"
"Rose? How could you be pregnant? You've been nowhere near guys and I know wouldn't give your virtue over to just anyone."
"I am. I did give my virtue to someone who means the world to me, and vice versa."
"Anyone who was with you would show you off," Adrian joined in. "Unless-"
"Don't you dare!" I interrupted.
"Why?" he challenged. "Why shouldn't I reveal your dirty little secret? You clearly don't care about him if you cheated and are now running."
"Who said I cheated? Who said I was leaving him behind?"
"What?! He's leaving too? Never saw that coming, well going."
"Adrian!" I growled. "That was not cool!"
"Neither was you getting knocked-up by him." Argh! Why did he want to be so damned irritating. I had to wonder how Dimitri was managing to stay out of this, how he was keeping his mask in place. He had to be fuming inside.
"He didn't get me "knocked up". I started my family with him. There's a difference."
"Yeah right. Now. Time to reveal your dirty little secret." He was going to do it. I bloody knew it. "Now, Lissa, Christian, Eddie, this will shock you." Adrian built up the suspense and I suppressed a groan. "Do you want to know who Rose has been not-so-subtly sneaking around with all year?"
"Who?" Lissa asked.
"Yeah. Who?" Christian enquired.
"Rose? What was really going on with Mase?"
"Nothing. I tried. But it just wasn't there."
"Guys! Pay attention," Adrian didn't like Eddie shifting the focus.
"Okay." The other three returned their attention to Adrian.
"Belikov." It was a statement of fact. Pure and simple. Damn you, Adrian!
"What?!" They squeaked.
"Rose? Please, please, please deny it." Lissa begged.
"Liss..." how did I deny what was true? I looked at Dimitri and his face had paled. What was he thinking? What did he want to do?
"Princess." He looked at me, took a deep breath and let his face show everything- all the love, pride, and joy. He pulled me to him after kissing my forehead. "It's true."
"Rose. You wouldn't, you didn't, you couldn't cross that line?"
"Liss," I sighed. "It's not my fault he's my soulmate."
"I guess we can't help that. I can see it in your auras."
"Thanks Liss." I turned to Dimitri and pushed the forms over to him. "Have I done this properly?" He checked them thoroughly while Liss and I continued to talk.
"So, in losing my best-friend-and-supposed-to-be-guardian to my bonafide guardian, huh?" Her mood was slowly turning to amusement.
"You're not losing me." I laughed. "I'll stay in touch."
"And you can visit us Lissa," Dimitri offered after looking up from my forms.
"Really? You know where you're going?"
"Yes." He then returned to checking said forms.
"We do know where we're going. And all four of you are welcome to visit," I added.
"Rose?" Dimitri looked at me.
"Yeah?"
"They're perfect- just like you are for me." My other half pecked my cheek. "Let's go. Baia and the Belikova's await."
"I guess it's time." I stood up and hugged all my friends farewell.
"Take care, Rose. Look after her Belikov- I didn't bring her back from the dead for no reason. She's my sister- you hurt either of them and you'll have me to answer to."
"I will," Dimitri and I sang in unison.
'Adorable. Far too cute and sickly sweet for supposed-to-be-stoic guardians,' came through the bond. I rolled my eyes and shook my head at my friend's hopeless romanticism.
"'Bye Rose. Belikov- I second Lissa's threat."
"Understood, Lord Ozera," Dimitri nodded.
"Oh Rose. I never thought I'd see you give up guarding."
"Neither did I, Eddie!" I laughed. "Neither did I. You realise this almost guarantees you'll get Liss as your assignment after grad? Look after her or you'll have the Belikov badasses to answer to." I said it seriously, but playfully punched his shoulder. Dimitri audibly gasped when I included myself as a Belikov. He quickly recovered to add, "seconded Castile."
Eddie nodded. "Got that. Oh, and Belikov? I also second Lissa's threat."
This time Dimitri nodded. "Understood, Castile."
"Get outta here, Rose," Adrian teased. "I'll see you in your dreams, little dhampir."
"You'll find someone, Adrian. Take care."
"Roza?" Dimitri held my papers in one hand and extended the other to me. "Ready?"
"Ready." I took his hand and left the group in the cafeteria. I cast one last glance behind me and immediately wished I hadn't because they were all crying. Even Christian and Eddie.
"You alright?" my marvellous man asked with concern and love lacing his words.
"Yeah. This needs to be done. It's the right thing, the best option."
"It is, milaya. It is."