What a Difference a Year Makes (Revised)

Chapter 31

A/N Hi all, I have a little treat for you so hold onto your hats.  I could be going offline for a week as its a busy week for me so just in case I don't have time to post I'm going to publish the remaining chapters today.  Yes, you read properly; I am publishing the remaining six chapters plus an epilogue today.  Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 31

From that day on we have all been busy. Everyone ploughed head first into sorting out evidence and witnesses to plead our case. Many of the unsanctioned guardians plus the Mazur guardians wanted to help and things were kind of hectic for a while until Abe arrived to help co-ordinate it all. I was glad for his arrival because we still had a business to run, classes to teach, gradings to adjudicate and an agency to keep ticking over. Mason was running around like a mad thing opening the new gym and informing our clients and guardians that it was open as well as trying to find someone to look after the gym for several days while at court.

It was 13th February, three days before we were due at court and I was sat in the SUV on the tarmac of the local airstrip waiting for our jet to arrive. I was thinking over everything that still needed to be done but really there wasn't very much left except keeping our fingers crossed that we would convince the royal council. My thoughts were starting to turn down a pessimistic path until I saw the jet lining up with the airstrip and coming in to land. Richard had been busy this week; he had been picking people up from everywhere in order for them to be at court on Thursday. This was his longest flight this week, all the way from Novosibirsk, carrying our family who insisted on travelling with Eddie and Alberta to support us.

As the jet taxied to a stop I got out of the SUV and Matt who was in the other also alighted. We were stood there waiting for the passengers to descend the stairs, this would be the first time since Christmas that we had seen the family and I know that Dimitri, even though the reasons for them being here weren't great, was excited to see them.

"Aunt Roza!" came a shout from the top of the stairs. I waved at Paul as he barrelled down them to reach me.

"Careful or you will fall" admonished Karolina as she carried Zoya in her arms, but it didn't stop Paul dashing full pelt at me and hugging me.

"Someone seems pleased to see you" laughed Matt.

"Yeah, my Aunt Roza is awesome" Paul told Matt as if it was the most natural thing.

"Don't tell your Aunt Sonya or Aunt Vika they will get upset" I joked but in Sonya's case I think it would be the right assessment. Ever since the strigoi fight outside the house in Baia, Dimitri and I have been on the receiving end of some hero worship by Paul. I know he is only young so it wasn't making me feel as uncomfortable as it could if it was someone who wasn't family and was older.

Paul let go of me so I could hug the rest of my family along with Eddie and Alberta. "Hi all, it's great to see you. We will catch up at the house but for now get into the cars. Matt and I will get the luggage. Within fifteen minutes the luggage was in the cars and we were all on our way back to the villa. Paul was bouncing up and down in his seat looking at all the scenery. He had wanted to sit up front next to me but I had to explain that it would be better in the back for safety reasons, he was upset but he did accept it and sat in the back, but that didn't stop him from wanting to move around the huge seat in order to see everything we passed. When we pulled up to the house, he let out an excited squeal, "calm down Paul, you are going to make yourself ill getting over excited..." Karolina said to her son "...and don't open that car door until Aunt Roza tells you to."