Returning Home: Baia Bound (a Vampire Academy Fanfic)

A long trip

RPOV
I woke up in the back of a car wrapped in Dimitri's duster, with him watching me with a tender, adoring and loving expression on his face. I flashed back to the trip to Missoula, to riding home like this, and smiled at the fond memories of when we were starting to fall in love.
"Hey, Comrade. See something you like?" That seriously was turning into a 'running joke' sorta thing, which was beginning to crop up as frequently as 'Comrade'.
"Absolutely."
"How long have I been out?"
"Hmmm. Five, maybe closer to six, hours. I slept for just over four."
"I feel reasonably good. Like, not nauseous good."
"That's great." He kissed my forehead. "I love you, milaya. So much it hurts."
"Hmm. I love you too, Dimitri. More than should be possible."

"Roza?"
"Yeah?"
"What do you want? A boy or a girl?" The question caught me by surprise. I was still adjusting to the idea- and reality- of being pregnant. I thought about it seriously. There were perks to each. As long as they had Dimitri's personality, I didn't really mind. I actually would like more than one child. With the number of girls on Dimitri's side a girl was likely to happen at some point. With that, I had my answer.
"This time? I don't really care. As long as it has your personality and control. I would like multiple of both."
His face registered shock and surprise, soon followed by excitement at the thought of having more than one child. "Did you just say multiple?"
"Yes. So sue me! It's worth it!" I teased.
"I think you just made my year, milaya."
"Oh?"
"One child is a miracle. Multiple? The world better watch out- who knows what our badass baby Belikovs will be capable of," he laughed and I had to join in.
"Hmm. We are dangerous enough on our own. Together? Unstoppable. We proved that in the caves. Our genetic children? God only knows. Lethal won't begin to cover it."
"You're right. As always." My man grinned and kissed my cheek. "God, I love you."
"Right back at you, Comrade."
"Oh, Roza."

"Dimitri?"
"Yes?"
"I'm going to check in on Lissa."
"Be careful."
"I'll try." Dimitri just chuckled as I tuned into the bond and slipped into my friend's head.

She was in her first period Moroi class. The topic of discussion? 'Where was Rose? And Guardian Belikov?'
"Lissa? Lissa? Lissa!" Camille Conta was trying to get Lissa's attention.
"Yes, Cammy?"
"Where's Rose? And Guardian Belikov?"
"They've left. They're long gone."
"Gone? As in she dropped out? And Belikov got reassigned?" They so weren't going to guess the full story.
"Yes, she dropped out. No, he didn't get reassigned."
"Belikov? You can't mean Belikov abandoned you? Him? Of all the guardians? He would never! Would he?" she couldn't wrap her head around the idea.
"Yes. He abandoned his post. He had to. I'm not mad. He explained it, and I understand. His life changed. And he is a person just as much as we are." Liss truly didn't blame him. Because she knew what was going on she was actually glad for us. Camille, on the other hand, she hadn't even gotten to the point of suspecting an 'us'. Yet.
"You're not mad? Why?"
"No. I'm not. As for why? He fell in love."
"No! Not Belikov?! He's the anti-social, stoic, duty-focused, Russian-battle-god-of-a guardian. There is ab-so-lute-ly no way he would fall in love!"
"Who's in love?" Jade Drozdov asked, joining in after nearly walking past the gossiping girls.
"You mean 'who abandoned Liss because he fell in love'?"
"Not Belikov! Even love wouldn't make him abandon Lissa, abandon his duty. He's too serious!" Jade screeched. "Liss, please tell me this is a joke."
"It's true, Jade." Liss actually wore an amused expression. She was enjoying making them re-think their views of the guardians.
"But..."
"He has feelings too. All the guardians do. He's just that private."
"God! I never saw that happening. Belikov in love? It just seems impossible," Jade commented.
"I second that," Camille added.
"So why did Rose leave?" Jade asked.
"Hmm. That's harder to explain."
"So you know?"
"Yes. She wouldn't leave without saying goodbye or giving an explanation."
"So?" Camille was getting excited- she wanted dirt. Clearly. "Spill, Lissa!"
"It was the best option." Oh just drag them along would you Dragomir Princess.
"Lissa!" Jade wasn't taking that. "Dirt!" The bell went and the group of gossip girls continued conversing in the next two classes.
"Fine," Liss eventually sighed. "Okay. Goss. Just don't judge her."
"Just spill!" The other two laughed.
"She's pregnant!" My bestie actually squealed as she suddenly realised she was going to be an auntie.
"What?" The other two were simply stunned.
Jade was still shocked as she stated, "she hasn't been around anyone since Jesse."
"Well..." Camille started. "Adrian's been hitting on her pretty hard."
"And she's been giving him the cold shoulder, Cammy," Jade retorted.
"She hates his guts," Liss chipped in.
"What?! Rose(the flirt)Hathaway turned down Adrian Ivashkov?" Camille asked in total disbelief.
"Yup," Lissa simply responded.
"So, whose is it? She hasn't had time to get into that situation." Jade was now as curious as ever.
"Apparently she found a workaround," Liss replied.
"Clearly," Cammy added. After a few moments thought she asked "Liss?"
"Yeah Cam?"
"Don't you think the timing's a little suspicious?" Oh finally! They were so sense not to think of this immediately.
"Hmm?" came my sister's ingenious response.
"Both Rose and Belikov? Leaving on the same day?"
"Yeah, Liss," Jade added. "Don't you think it's a tad suspicious."
"Why?"
"I mean... He's always defended her, looked after her, and is the only one who can calm her down and keep her controlled." Hells no! he couldn't. We had absolutely no control whatsoever around the other. We also had no clue what we did to one-and-other.
"And," Cam joined back in, "they're always together." Now they notice. God. Clearly, they were so blind that, we could have been all over each other and it still would have taken us leaving for them to click. "In and out of classes. They have all
That time alone in the gym, just the two of them. He guards her every class and walks with her between them. He's always watching her at lunch." Okay, I didn't know that. It was sweet and freaky at the same time. And an absolutely adorable sign of how addicted to me he really was. Oh, that man loved me, and worried about me, alright.
Jade piped in with, "he did community service with her. What teacher does half his student's punishment? And have you seen the way they're in their own world around each other? Always in the other's personal space?" Now, I had been so sure we hadn't done the final one. We'd always made a conscious effort not to do that. Or, so we had thought. We were magnetised together, clearly. Obviously, our cover wasn't really one. It had just happened that everyone else was simply that blind.
"So?" Liss didn't see a problem with the guardian-and-guardian-in-training soulmate's spending that much time together and being so magnetised together like her and Christian.
"You don't think they've run off together, do you?" Think? Lissa knew. "Seriously, Rose and Belikov both does, and doesn't, make sense." Camille commented.
"I know!" Jade exclaimed. It went on in that fashion through until lunch.

"Where do you think they are right now?" Eddie asked.
"I don't know. They'll be almost be there though," Christian responded.
"Do you think she's watching? Like right now?" Liss spoke.
"Ifs she's awake she will be," Adrian commented.
"I can't believe they're gone. It's hard to stomach. She's chosen to have a family- at eighteen."
"Yeah. Rose as a mom is a very scary idea."
"Christian!" Liss playfully slapped him.
"Does anyone realise a child if theirs will be beyond lethal?" Eddie- always looking at the guardian edge.
"That is freaky Eddie."
"Mmm. Anyone got the feeling it will be children? As in multiple?" Liss enquired.
"Anyone got any clue how they became a they?" Eddie asked quizzically.
"Who knows what happened in the gym during 'trainings'." Christian retorted.
"Fair point," Liss responded. "Anyone realise she's the only one he actually talks to?"
"Again, how'd she manage it?" Eddie replied.
"Does it matter how? She's done it, gotten him totally hooked," Christian argued.

The gossip returned in the final four classes for the day, and the musing returned at dinner.

"Roza, we're here. Welcome to Baia. Welcome home, milaya." My eyes fluttered open and I smiled at my soulmate.