More than a friend

Ch 5: Proposals

CPOV

I decided to go down anyway to the infirmary and check on how Rose was doing. She didn't look too good and honestly I felt bad about letting her go alone. But as I walked in I heard the most shocking thing ever.
"You're four weeks pregnant, Rose. Congratulations."
"You're pregnant?" I asked. The both ladies turned to look at me. The doctor was smiling while Rose looked too shocked for words.

"Yes Mr Ozera, she is. Would it be wrong for me to assume that you are the father?" asked the doctor. What?
Before I could answer though Rose found her voice.
"Yes doc, very wrong."
Ouch.
"Okay then. Who is the father, if you don't mind me asking?" asked the doctor.
"A dhampire. But that's impossible. Two dhampire can't have kids. It's genetically not possible, right?" asked Rose. She sounded like a little child begging her parents to assure her that there were no such thing as ghosts or monsters. She looked so scared and vulnerable. I could see the pain painted on her face, probably thinking of the father of the child she carried in her. The man whom she loved, the man who left her.

"That is true but you have to remember Rose that you're special. You've been healed more times than anyone thanks Vasilissa. You're even shadow kissed. Maybe all that healing has healed the genetic quirk all dhampires are born with" explained the doctor.
What she said did make sense. If spirit could bring back the dead, what's a small genetic malfunction? The doctor explained a few precautions to Rose and gave her some medication then sent us off. She seemed totally out of it so I led her toward the far end of the campus, near the old Guardian watch towers and cabins.

When we came closer to the cabin where my aunt Tasha stayed in her visit, Rose froze. She looked like she saw a ghost.
"Rose, are you okay?"
She didn't respond.
"Rose," I said and I gave her arm a gentle shake.

"It was here," she whispered, her graze fixed on the little cabin.
"What are you talking about?" I asked her.
"It was here. When Dimitri and I...it happened before the strigoi attacked. If I'd known then what would have happened after..." She says as tears silently roll down her cheeks. I didn't hesitate as I pulled her into a hug. Before I wouldn't have missed an opportunity to annoy or tease Rose but now seeing her as her world comes crashing all around her, my heart broke to see the strong and firery Guardian so weak.

"I don't know what to do Christian. No one will want me as a guardian. And I don't know the first thing about being a mother."

"It's going to be alright. You're Rose fucking Hathaway. The most badass novice around. You'll figure something out. I promise," I tell her with conviction. Rose is many things but when she puts her mind to something she can accomplish it all. I saw that with my own eyes when I fought besides her during the school attack and when we were captured in Spokane.

She pulled away from me but kept her hands enclosed in mine. She kept her eyes fixed on the cabin as she spoke again.
"I'm still going to graduate. I'll never get anywhere without getting my promise mark. Once that's done I'm leaving. But promise me you won't tell anyone about the baby. Not Lissa or even Tasha."
"What are you going to do?" I asked.
"I don't know. Maybe I'll get a job in the human world. Away from all of this" she says gesturing to the gothic academy behind us.

"And how are you going to take care of a baby while working? And I don't think many people would been keen on hiring a pregnant girl for a permanent job. Especially one with zero qualifications," I say reasonably.

She threw a glare at me. "Thanks for shitting all over my plan Sparky."
"You're welcome."
She looked like she was about to punch me.
I took a causationed step back raising my hands in surrender,"whoa,
what I'm trying to say is you need a better plan."
"Well I don't have one," she says sounding irritated. "The only way I can actually earn money is by being a guardian and no one is going to want a pregnant guardian working for them."

Then an idea sparked in my head. "Maybe you can be my guardian?"
"What?"
"You can be my Guardian. If you are assigned to me you get your income to support the child and I get a fairly capable Guardian." She sent a glare at my description of her skills. I carried on as if I saw nothing, "and while you are busy doing all the mommy stuff, I can take care of myself. It's not like you would need to be on duty 24/7" I said with a small flicker of fire dancing at my fingertips.
She crossed her arms, still looking unconvinced and slightly annoyed. Maybe the hormones were already effecting her.
"Are you serious? Do you even realise what you are saying? What would Lissa think if you pick me? And imagine the look on everyone's faces when I turn up pregnant at court. They will all think it's yours," she says. "Are you sure you're up for all of that?"

People already look at me with so much judgement for what my parents did. So adding a dhampire child to that would really bring the weight down on me (not like I wasn't already used to it). As for Lissa, if I did commit to this, then it would mean the end of our relationship for good.

I looked over at Rose. While I was deep in thought I caught her gazing down at her tummy, gently rubbing it's as if she can already feel the baby inside. Regardless of what Rose and I say to each other, she has been a good friend to me. When her best friend insulted her and wished nothing but pain on her she still tried to reunite us together so that we could be happy. We fought and argued but we both respected and cared for each other.

Everyone had turned their backs on her when she was there for them all. No matter what, I couldn't do that to Rose. Not after everything she did for me.

"I'm sure. Rose, will you be my Guardian?" I asked her.

She looks unsure for a second but soon she gets a devilish smirk on her face. "Hell yes!"