So everything has settled down with the move and internet and TV ware working again. So here is the last chapter.

Chapter 24:

RPOV

"I can't believe my family."

We were lying in Dimitri's old bed under a heap load of blankets. Apparently it got cold here at night. Well it was Siberia after all. I was firmly pressed against him.

"Why, because they accepted you without second thought. I knew they would."

He smiled.

"No. my mother didn't care I had been Strigoi, all she cared for was the babies. And then my sisters, one juicy piece of gossip and they run with it."

"Would you rather have had they talked more about your time as a Strigoi?"

"No. But this was just not what I expected."

I think tomorrow the more serious conversations would take place. Once everyone is calmed down a bit and had some time to think about it, I was sure that they would ask him a few things. I just hoped he wouldn't shut down again.

I looked around the room. We were going to have to put the twins here. It wasn't big but I had seen Karolina's room and it was a lot smaller and she had Zoya in there as well. And Katya stayed in Sonya's room. I suppose we could fit two cribs in this room. Olena had gushed and gushed. She wanted to take me shopping this weekend for baby stuff.

We were in a baby store with Dimitri, myself, Olena and Adrian. It was like watching a natural disaster. You couldn't help but stare. Olena and Adrian were piling on the baby stuff. Although Dimitri and I were excited too, we didn't go around the store like two crazy people. I think we could have handled on of them, but these two were fueling each other one. I suppose I was grateful Lissa wasn't here.

"What about this one. They will absolutely need this."

"Oh yes definitely, get a pink and a blue one."

They were like two raging bulls in the store.

"No, I don't want my children already in gender roles, take two yellow ones."

Both Olena and Adrian had pouted but eventually complied.

Dimitri leaned into my ear and whispered.

"what are those things for?"

I leaned in too and whispered back.

"I have no idea."

We looked at each other and started snickering.

We looked around and I saw Adrian put two automatic baby bouncers into the cart. They were wickedly expensive.

"Oh no, I can bounce my own babies, thank you very much."

There was luxury and there was just plain indulgence. I had seen the price tags, regular bouncers will do.

"You guys do know we will go back to court after a few weeks right."

"Well if the twins don't have red eyes and fangs otherwise you might have to stay a lot longer. And we can always have it shipped to court."

I sighed. I appreciated Adrian's honesty but did he have to be so blunt about it? I was getting nervous. What would it mean for our lives if the twins did show Strigoi signs? We would still need to hide them.

Dimitri and I had talked about it. If the twins were 'different' we would take them far away. They wouldn't be safe in Baia either. It meant breaking with family and friends but we both didn't hesitate about it for a moment. 'They come first' no longer applied to Moroi, it applied to our children.

"Oh little Dhampir, come on a look at these." Adrian practically gushed.

I slowly walked, well waddled over to him. He was holding up the cutes little onesies. It spelled mini pooper and had an emblem of the mini cooper car on it. I looked at Adrian and we both laughed.

"yeah definitely need that one. Get a yellow and..."

I saw Adrian's face distort but he was too late to warn me. I wondered if it would have mattered though. I got kicked in the ribs and I could feel the bone break. Now I knew that wasn't normal. I was struggling to breathe. I think the rib had punctured the long.

Adrian seemed to panic. He was looking around for Dimitri. I grabbed his arm

"Don't tell him."

I saw he was thinking of telling Dimitri anyway. But I didn't want him to worry. Dimitri knew about his rambunctious children but a bruise was definitely something else then a break. I didn't want him to feel guilty.

He had been a lot better. But sometimes I could still see the guilt in his eyes, occasionally he would wake up in the middle of the night bathed in sweat. I would just simply hold him and try and soothe him. I always had a calming effect on him. Although as my belly grew he also got comfort from the twins. The only good thing to come out of his time as a Strigoi.

I smiled through clenched teeth; it would only take a minute to heal and I was trying to breathe through the pain, no easy feat with a broken rib. After a few moments the pain was gone and I could breathe again.

I let out a breathe of relieve.

"What are you two doing back here?"

My delicious looking boyfriend walked around the corner.

I held up the onesies and he laughed.

"Well get used to it comrade. You'll be doing the dirty diapers."

He laughed. Knowing full well I had to take my shifts too.

After two more hours I was exhausted. I was sitting on a bench with Dimitri next to me. Whenever Olena or Adrian thought our approval was needed, which wasn't that often, they would show us on the bench. At least I had picked out some of their clothes.

"So what really happened with you and Adrian back there?"

Oh he knew me to well.

"One of the twins decided to play punching bag with my ribs. I didn't want to freak out your mother"

Okay so not really a lie, but not really the full truth either. He looked at me and I knew he knew I was downplaying it but he let it go.

The pile they had accumulated over the course of an afternoon was astonishing. But they finally seemed to be done. Dimitri got up to pay and carry the larger items. I was handed a small bag with clothes. It was a pity bag. They didn't want me to carry anything but knew I would have protested saying I was pregnant and not an invalid. I could carry stuff for my own children. So they gave me one small light bag. It was hilarious seeing Dimitri being overrun by bags and boxes. His entire body covered by it. Adrian wasn't much better off. But where Dimitri wasn't complaining and carrying most of it the car without incidence Adrian was struggling. Olena and I followed and giggled behind the two men.

Once at home Dimitri carried the stuff upstairs and started working on assembling the cribs. Olena and I were taking the tags of the cloths and washing them. Adrian was passed out on the coach. I guess shopping takes a lot out of him.

Once I got myself to bed, already a great task these days, I looked around the room. There were two little cribs and a changing table in our room. We had made some space in the closet for the twins' clothes.

"We need a bigger room."

I complained knowing full well we would only need more stuff and it would get a lot messier.

"We need a bigger house."

Dimitri replied. He was right. But the thing was until the twins would be born we had no idea where that house will be. Lissa and Adrian had been discussing the housing situation at court, much to Christian's dismay. Lissa had gushed about a townhouse we could all share. Adrian was already hiring a decorator when Christian pointed out Lissa wouldn't be around that much so he should get more of a say in the matter. Christian was fine with sharing a house. God knows the houses of Royals at court are big enough, he just had a completely different take on the matter then Lissa and Adrian. Lissa had pouted and Christian was about to give in when Dimitri and I stepped up and convinces the both of them to look for something a little more low key. It was three against two now. Adrian had replied that royal votes would count double. I then replied my count should count triple because I was technically three people at the moment. They had relented after that, waiting to see what would happen with the twins. Although I kept hearing Adrian's phone chime with messages from Lissa saying she had found the perfect house. Adrian would then show us and we vetoed it immediately. Lissa wasn't hung up on the houses for too long. She had found four 'perfect' houses this week alone.

"I will be glad once they are here for more reasons than one."

I said to Dimitri as I was trying to get up. He helped me up before asking:

"Where are you going."

"To pee."

I broke down in tears as I was making my way to the bathroom. It had only been like half an hour since I last went.

After that we settled in to sleep. Well as settled as I could get. Dimitri was sound asleep, but I was still awake even after being exhausted from today. Everything itched and I had restless leg. I hadn't worn a pajama in weeks. I could barely tolerate the blanket on my skin I couldn't abide another piece of clothing. Everybody kept saying just a few more weeks. But hours seemed even too long. But eventually exhaustion won out and I was able to fall asleep.

Lissa and Christian would be coming today. It was three weeks until my due date, but twins were known to come earlier. Adrian was keeping busy these days with Oksana, learning the finer points of Spirit. He told everyone he was here to learn spirit but I knew he was avoiding me. Everyone was avoiding me. I was cranky because I now could barely move. The only one who could tolerate me were Olena and Dimitri and that was because really they had no choice. I sometimes saw the look Dimitri gave Adrian whenever he would say he would be going over to Oksana's. Annoyed, betrayed and a little jealous. But he needed to stay. He was the one that did this to me after all.

But at least today everyone seemed relieved to have a distraction. I couldn't drive the long way to the airport anymore but Adrian and Mark had volunteered to pick them up. It was funny how fast they had volunteered and how almost everyone had their hands half raised in order to volunteer. I doubt anyone has been ever so eager for a few hours' drive. Oksana had weaseled her way in there saying they could already discuss Spirit on the way back.

It was dinner time when they arrived and I heard everyone let out a sigh of relieve once the front door opened and I was distracted from them for a moment.

"Rose!"

Lissa came running up to me and hugged me tight but gentle.

"Oh my god, look at you. You're…"

I swear every other person in the room besides us was signaling to Lissa to stop. Some even went as far as to try and tackle her to stop her from completing her sentence. But she just sidestepped them.

"Glowing."

She finished and everyone let out a breathe.

Christian came up behind her,

"Jesus Rose, you're huge."

I looked at him in shock before I started crying. I vaguely saw people around the room throwing their hands in defeat and some were visibly trying to hurt Christian.

Dimitri took me in his arms as he was trying to calm me down.

"You're beautiful, Roza. As Lissa said, you're glowing."

It took him half an hour before I was coherent again enough to listen to how their trip here had been.

"I am just glad we were on time. I mean how long can those kids stay in there. Can't be much room left."

Christian slapped his hands over his own mouth realizing just what he had said. He looked at me frightened. And I saw everyone just stare at me waiting for me to burst into tears. But instead I burst into laughter.

At first everyone started laughing a bit nervously but eventually everyone chimed into our chorus of laughter.

As I laid in my bed that night I skootched over to Dimitri a little closer.

"I am glad they are here. I missed Lissa and even Christian."

"Me too." He mumbled. "Me too."

I woke up in the middle of the night. I had turned around and felt something wet escape me. But I am pretty sure I didn't have to go to the bathroom. As I sat up in bed, it was still flowing out of me.

"Dimitri."

"Hmp."

Great. The man is on always on alert but now when his children were about to be born he wouldn't wake up.

"Comrade. NOW!"

"Huh, what? What's wrong."

He sat up straight in his bed obviously startled.

"I think my water broke."

Dimitri got out of bed and lifted the blankets. Oh yeah definitely broke my water.

"Any contractions?"

I tried thinking and feeling but nothing yet.

I shook my head no.

"Usually labor starts with contractions and your water breaking doesn't occur until later. I'll call the clinic asking what to do. Rose why don't you take a shower."

That actually sounded like a good idea. I was getting up from the bed and Dimitri was already changing the blankets and maternity pads underneath. I was walking into the shower when I heard Dimitri on the phone. No doubt with the clinic.

I was in the shower and the warm water was nice and relaxing me a little. This was it. Within a few hours or a little more I would have my children in my arms. The past few days I had been both excited as well as a little frightened. But right now I didn't feel any of those things. I was focusing on the task at hand. Childbirth. There was no room for fear or even excitement. I needed to prepare and relax. I had read books though and I knew normally you would start with mild contractions for the first few centimeters and then your water would break speeding up the process and the intensity. But mine started with my water breaking. That usually only happened in ten percent of the cases. I was wondering if that also meant the stronger contractions would come much sooner.

As I had the thought I felt one. It wasn't pleasant but it wasn't debilitating yet either. I didn't have to urge to scream and cuss Dimitri's name. So all in all I was feeling confident.

That lasted all in one hour. After that my contractions were coming in much stronger and much faster leaving me almost no time in between to catch my breath. It was interesting getting to the clinic.

We had discussed it before I wanted Dimitri and Adrian and Lissa with me. The rest could come after the twins were born. I didn't need everyone looking straight into my private parts. And even Dimitri, Adrian and Lissa were clearly instructed to support me only near my head.

I had been in labor for ten hours and I had progressed fast. I was fully dilated but I knew the hard part was still to come.

"Okay, Miss Hathaway, I believe it is time to push. Now remember when I saw breathe, you must breathe and stop pushing."

Every contraction I pushed. And every contraction I could feel something move inside of me. I always thought that the baby was in you one second and after a lot of effort was out the next, but the truth was he or she was moving inch by inch through the birth canal burning as it went along. The contractions hurt more but at least the only lasted a minute. This was a constant feeling of burning I knew would only end once both babies had made it out. So I pushed.

"God, They get that big head from you. I don't have such a big head. Why do they have to have such a big head. Why is yours so big. I wish they really were Adrian's, his head is smaller."

I knew Dimitri would forgive me for that, because he knew I wasn't really in a sane frame of mind at the moment. I heard Adrian laughing a bit.

Both me and Dimitri glared at him and that seemed to shut him up.

"One more big push. You can do it."

I cussed and I screamed and I cried but I finally felt my body give way to my child as I heard its first cries.

"The girl is out."

I looked at her for a moment before they whisked her away. I was panicked. Adrian and Lissa were there to compel anyone if the twins came out looking different. Lissa followed the nurse. I knew I wasn't done yet, but surprisingly his sister had made a nice road for her brother and he was out a few minutes later. They too let me see him before they took him to join his sister. My head fell back into the pillow and I saw Dimitri had tears in his eyes.

"They're beautiful. You are amazing."

I just smiled. Too tired to actually say anything. They cleaned me up and after a few minutes they brought in the babes.

We were handed a child each. Dimitri held our daughter and I held our son. I knew from that moment that this was the way it would always be. Daddy's girl and mamma's boy. I looked at the babes. Both had slightly lighter brown eyes resembling more their father then me, but the dark mop of hair on both of them left no doubt who their mother was. They did seem a bit pale. But I had read that it took babies a few hours to get their skin tone. I hoped it would resemble me. They seemed content and were looking around at us. I was almost willing them to cry so I could see if they had fangs or not.

"I checked earlier when they were crying. No fangs, they really do look like ordinary dhampirs."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I was glad. Their lives would be a little easier.

Adrian and Lissa were hovering. They knew better then to ask to hold them. Not yet but they both seemed fascinated.

"So what do we call them?"

"Tiny Dhampir and small Dhampir?"

I laughed.

"No, this is Alexander Mason Hathaway and Dimitri is holding Valeriya Ivana Hathaway, but we call them Sasha and Lera."

Epilogue

APOV

It was two in the morning and I could hear Lera in her crib. Somehow I was the only one in the house that could tell the babies apart based on sound. To everyone else they sounded the same. At least they looked different enough.

We had been back from Baia for two weeks now. They had finally consented to Lissa and I getting a house, we just had to promise not to go overboard. I think we managed that a bit. I might still have bought way to many baby stuff and surprisingly so did Christian. I thought Olena could rival me in shopping but Christian had completely surprised me. He was adoring the twins and I saw he was giving Lissa longing glances. I kinda understood it. Christian didn't have any family other than us. Lissa on the other hand was oblivious.

I slowly opened the door to Dimitri's and Rose's room where the cribs were. Lera wasn't crying but she was vocalizing and she was waking up her brother. Although at three months old they didn't do baby talk yet, they were discovering that their mouths had other functions then just eating. It was the cutest thing when they laughed, but at two in the morning maybe a little less cute. I was too late as I heard Sasha return the conversation he was having with his sister.

"Ssh. You'll wake mommy and daddy."

Dimitri was on his back his hand over his face and snoring. The fact he didn't register I had come in was testimony of how exhausted he was. Rose was on her belly, I saw she had barely made it into her bed before she passed out. One foot was sticking out.

I peeked into the cribs and both babies were laughing.

They always did when the saw me. I had a special bond with them that nobody did. First we thought it was because I was a spirit user. People were always attracted to our charisma. A power I mostly used on girls. But the twins didn't have the same response to Lissa. They liked her, but they adored me. Although I would never be a substitute for their parents I was glad I had a special place in their heart as they did in mine.

As I was looking at the twins as they fell asleep again in the happy surroundings of their family that they were indeed the product of a fairy tale. The Prince had been rescued from the monster by the Princesses' love and devotion and they all lived happily ever after.

I just had to remind myself it wasn't my fairy tale. And surprisingly I was okay with that. I knew in that moment I was truly over Rose and ready to move on. Maybe I would give that alchemist friend a try. I thought to myself deviously.

Another story finished. I know it wasn't as long as Soul Bound but don't worry, story three is almost finished and I'll be uploading that soon. I hope everyone has a merry christmas or happy holiday and a good 2017.