Hope Falls

“You got through that transition, and you’ll get through this one too. You’re doing so well.”

---

Emmett waited another moment before heading over, quietly sliding into the bed behind her.

Dmitri snorted softly in disagreement. "I am barely stumbling through."

---

Karina reached her hand behind her to find one of his, pulling it across and to his mouth. Kissing his knuckles gently. "Home sweet home."

Dmitri snorted softly in disagreement. "I am barely stumbling through."

---

Karina reached her hand behind her to find one of his, pulling it across and to his mouth. Kissing his knuckles gently. "Home sweet home."

“You’re doing fantastic.”

---

“Hopefully for good this time.”

"If I ever have to run away to keep children safe again then I will be dragging you kicking and screaming with me." Karina snorted softly in amusement. "I can't do that again, it was stressful."

---

"Please stop trying to make me feel better, it's really frustrating." Dmitri mumbled miserably.

“I don’t lie. I’m really bad at it, you know that.”

---

“I won’t let it happen again.”

"No really, I'd rather a war then four screaming children." Karina laughed humourlessly. "I have never had such bad headaches before."

---

"Try and lie, it'll make me feel better about how I am feeling."

"No really, I'd rather a war then four screaming children." Karina laughed humourlessly. "I have never had such bad headaches before."

---

"Try and lie, it'll make me feel better about how I am feeling."

“You want me to diminish how you’re doing?”

---

“No more for us then mm?”

"Yes."

---

"No, not right now." Karina laughed tiredly. "Maybe... maybe we shouldn't rule it out forever, but for a few years at least I am content."

“Well I don’t.” Ada frowned, moving to kneel in front of him and taking his hands.

---

“That’s fine by me, my love.”

"Your words and my feelings being the opposite is confusing and frustrating so I would rather you lie. It would make me feel less dramatic."

---

"Eden is more like you then Ira, which.. surprised me since Ira is your double." Karina whispered. "She pulls the same faces that you do. Especially when she tastes anything slightly sour. She sits like you do. Practices her laugh before it comes out, or.. if the laugh surprises her looks so confused afterwards. I mean - you'll see all of this, know what I mean. How were they when they first saw you? What did they do?"

“Eden was fine… Ira was terrified.” Emmett murmured sadly. “I’m a stranger to him, I don’t blame him.”

---

“I’m not lying to you. You’re okay to feel things that don’t match what I say but I’m not going to speak badly if you to match it up, Dima.”

"Ira is fearful of many things," Karina assured quietly, pressing her lips to his knuckles gently. "He's a precious baby, sensitive. Observant though; which is another you trait. I can walk into a room with him and be confused as to why he is unsettled for hours before realising Devika has moved the blanket from the armchair to the sofa."

---

"That's not very supportive." Dmitri mumbled.

“Talking negatively about your fiancé will never be supportive.”

---

“All these things that I should know.”

"His personality is still developing, both of their personalities are. I am learning new things about them every day too."

---

"In this situation it is."

“Stop this, my love.” Ada whispered sadly, standing up then and wrapping her arms around him. “You’re being so, so hard on yourself. Imagine we reversed roles right now, you wouldn’t do that to me.”

---

“I’ve missed so much.”

"The roles arent reversed though, are they? You don't get me how to act - how to feel."

---

Karina carefully rolled over to face him then, resting her palm against his cheek and pressing her lips to his forehead. "You still have so much to be here for. What... tell me what moments did you miss your father the most?"

“I don’t even remember at this point.”

---

“You can’t tell me to lie to you and be hard on you either.”

"I think... I think this is a conversation you need to have with someone, in depth." Karina whispered cautiously. "It doesn't have to be me, but.. someone. This whole journey into parenthood, you won't be able to enjoy it, if you are so scared to make mistakes. You aren't your father."

---

"You don't get to relate to me right now!"

“Oh Dima.” Ada said sadly, gently combing her finger through his hair.

---

“It’ll be on my to do list.”

"Go away." He hissed, flinching away from her touch. "Just... just leave me alone for awhile. Please."

---

""Good, because this is important. You need to recognise that you are a good dad - you've already shown that. You need to recognise that we love you. You need to see that I am here, no matter the distance between us, I am here.

“I’ll be in the area, far enough away for you to be alone but close if anything happens.” Ada nodded, frowning when he flinched before heading off.

---

“I know.” Emmett murmured gratefully, closing his eyes

"And there it is - if you really believed what I was saying you would leave me completely alone instead of playing protector."

---

"Do you really know, tough guy?" Karina hummed gently. "A whole year of us being apart, closer to two. It's... a long time to let out minds run rampant. I came across plenty of fears I didn't even know I had."

(( Night night ))

"And there it is - if you really believed what I was saying you would leave me completely alone instead of playing protector."

---

"Do you really know, tough guy?" Karina hummed gently. "A whole year of us being apart, closer to two. It's... a long time to let out minds run rampant. I came across plenty of fears I didn't even know I had."

(( Night night ))