Listen To The Music That Goes Along With This Chapter.

Sophie paced the wooden floor.  Marie hadn't taken kindly to that last impostor, not in the least!  She had her promptly thrown out, and had given Sophie a look that had almost frightened the poor girl.

She played with the skirt of her dress nervously.  All right, no more impostors were to be shown to Marie.  She could understand that.

Maybe she could get some advice from her friends.  Lorielle was always brilliant with advice, as was Iman.  Oh, and of course Vlad!

Vlad.  She hadn't thought of him in a few years now.  How awful!!  How could she forget Vlad, her best friend for almost 20 years?

She hadn't forgotten him, of course.  She had been purposely trying too, however.  When one loses a friend, they keep the hope that they'll come back -- but when hope ran out, they must move on.  Sophie smiled.  If Vlad were to appear to her soon, she would happily hug him and have a good conversation over tea.  She had moved past the feelings of betrayal, and realized that now all she felt was happiness -- happiness in remembering the good times they had together when they were in their youth.

If he did come back...how odd, she thought.  She still had a feeling that he would.  Maybe when they were both older, so that together they could announce news and think of old times together as their hair turned gray.  Perhaps he knew about Lara.  How she wished she could see Lara again.

But Vlad...Vlad was who she'd truly love to see.

Across town, Vlad's thoughts were similar as he fixed his yellow tie, the same tie he had promised to wear years before.

His stomach was jittery as he looked in the mirror of the cabin before they prepared to leave.  His hair was groomed impeccably, his smile permanently plastered on his face -- but his heart was breaking.

He was going to lie to Sophie.  For money.

Dimitri walked in.  "Vlad?  You ready yet?"

Vlad turned and reached out to touch Dimitri's arm. "I...I'm not sure I want to go through with this."

Dimitri sighed.  "Vlad, we went over this.  You and Sophie were friends when you were practically kids.  Come on, you're the one who said it was game with this Anastasia thing."  Dimitri paused for a moment. "Did you love her?"

Vlad looked up, seeing some sort of comprehension in Dimitri's dark eyes.  Dimitri hadn't mentioned this since he was ten.  Now, of all times, to think about loving Sophie!  He was about to use her to see the Dowager Empress for Pete's sake!

"Dimitri!  I...no, of course not.  We were friends, just like you said."

Dimitri shifted from one foot to the other.  "Are you sure?"

Vlad wondered why the sudden uncharacteristic behavior.  He hadn't seen Dimitri this concerned about something other than money or getting out of Russia since he had met that two-timing Eelia.

"Yes.  I'm sure.  We need the money.  We could live in peace for the rest of our lives.  Maybe you could...I mean...we could...get a nice place.  You -- we, could use it."

For your education.  For your future.  So you can do something with your life and forget the pain of your past.  We can't do it without the rubles.

So that was it, wasn't it?  Vlad knew why he wanted the money.  It was for Dimitri.  It had been all along, but he could never have let him know that.  Dimitri would have thrown a fit, declaring he could take care of himself.  He was so independent.  At least he tried to be.

He smiled a little to himself.  He had learned a few conning tricks himself, hadn't he?

Sophie...he didn't want to hurt her.  Maybe it wouldn't.  Maybe it would make her happy.  Yes, of course it would.  Think of how happy Anya would be with a family, and how pleased Sophie would be to have her as a cousin!

So really, he reasoned, he wasn't hurting anyone.  Dimitri would be able to have a future outside of lies and hurt, Anya would have a caring home with money, whether it was her real one or not, and Sophie would have Anya, who she thought to be a missing member of her family.

How he knew about missing members.

A day didn't go by without thinking of Lara.  Everytime he did, he got angry, angry at his parents, at society, at the world.  He was sure that up in heaven, Lara was angry as well.

Lara?  Angry?  Never.  She was independent and fiery, yes, but never angry.  How could he even think that?

He looked up and saw Dimitri had left quietly, seeing Vlad in his own thoughts.

How like his mother he was: sensitive, smart, moody.  Understanding.  Lara was so understanding.

"Sophie...Sophie is a nice girl.  Don't let her escape, Vlad, don't let her."

"I can't believe it..." Vlad whispered to himself.  Lara had warned him of the exact thing he had done!  How could he have been so blind?

"Vlad, come on!"  Anya and Dimitri both leaned their heads in, laughing at some joke Dimitri had told her.

He had promised Lara that he wouldn't let Sophie get away -- it was too late for him.  He didn't even know if they were meant to be together or not, or could after all the years between them.  Anya and Dimitri still had a chance with each other.

Dimitri watched Anya all the time now with a smile on his lips, his eyes in their own dreamworld.  That was why he had been so questioning about loving Sophie earlier.  He was in love himself!

He smiled at both of them.  He had so many emotions conflicting him inside.  There was guilt for letting Lara die, for not being able to stop Dimitri from growing up in the way he had.  There was sorrow, sorrow for Lara's untimely death, for not being able to carry out her wishes.  There was even excitement at seeing Sophie again, even if he would have to state a falsity to get there.

He must remember the ultimate goal of this adventure.  Soon everyone would be pleased -- Dimitri with an opportunity for the decent life he deserved, Anya with a new family that would surround her in riches and love her, and his gesture towards Sophie in thanks for her friendship when they were younger: an Anastasia.  Lara could smile down on his good deeds at uniting everyone and giving her son a new chance on life.

Everyone would be content.  He...he, however, would be a different story.
~*~
Dimitri watched the cityscape go by him.  Paris was beautiful.  His father had drawn pictures of Paris.  He remember them vaguely, remembered hearing about the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe in stories.  The stories about a young couple, almost drunk in the magic of love, dancing on the streets of the city, singing to the music of the time together, oblivious to the worries they had left behind in Russia.

He looked over at Anya.  Wouldn't it be great to dance on the streets with her just like in the stories?

Where had that come from?  He, Dimitri Leongard, dance?  He had enough trouble with the waltz!

Then again, with Anya it had been like a dream, a wonderful dream that brought back emotions he hadn't let himself feel in years, emotions like caring and hope.

There was a new feeling inside of him.  It was exciting yet scary, with a bittersweet edge that went through times of being tart or sweet.  It was like fireworks everytime he looked at Anya, great explosions of love.

Dimitri blinked.  Love?  Hold on a second.  Love?  No.  Absolutely not.  HIM, in love?  Ha!!

He still felt that surging emotion again, only it heightened when he said the word.  THAT word.  That silly, useless -- yet oh so beautiful!!!! -- word.

He felt a silly grin spread over his handsome face.  He was in love!

His smile faded.  He couldn't be in love.  Anya was someone he was fooling, like all the other people he had tricked in his life.  He didn't love them.  You didn't LOVE people you were hurting.

He realized he was vulnerable.  The one thing he had fought against his whole life was vulnerability.  He could never let someone else have control, could never let another person hold the reins -- then he'd be a turtle without a shell.

He didn't want a shell anymore.  He wanted love.  He wanted Anya.

He lowered his gaze to his feet.  He was so confused!  Part of him wanted to hold Anya and protect her, to comfort her with kisses.  How sweet he knew her kisses would be!!

The other told him he was worthless, a feeling that stung his heart.

That part whispered inside his head.  You're a liar.  A thief.  Do you think she'd love someone that hurt her?  Are you that stupid?

He placed his hand against his cheek slowly.  He was all of that.  He was nothing but a common thief.

He had lied, stolen, and caused pain.  No one could love a man like that, especially not Anya.

He looked back sadly at her.  Maybe he could keep it a secret.  Once he got the money, he'd be able to use it to win her over.

Money doesn't win people over.  Money doesn't change your life.

Dimitri shivered.  His own brain was defying him now!  He had taught himself since he had worked at the palace that MONEY was what got you ahead in life.  You could have anything you desired when you had money, and he could have love with it!!

But he couldn't.  He knew that now.  Looking back, he realized how stupid he must have looked to everyone around him.  Money didn't bless you with love.  Caring gave you love.  Honesty gave you love.  LOVE gave you love.

He had tried too hard to push away everything that mattered -- honesty, decency, hope, emotions -- in order to gain something that was, in the end, worthless.

Dimitri shut his eyes.  Enough thinking.  Enough brooding.  He would think of something.

He had too.
~*~
Anya dreamily watched Dimitri politely dance with Sophie.  Sophie was giggling and batting her eyelashes, as was expected around the handsome Dimitri!

Vlad twirled Anya around as they spun on the floor.  "You really like him, don't you?"

"Huh?  What?  Oh, um, you mean Dimitri?  He's...he's...he's my friend, yes.  So...yes, I like him."

Vlad smiled, his eyes telling her she knew exactly what she really meant.  "Of course."

They sat back down to enjoy their champagne.  Anya kept her eyes on Dimitri.  He was handsome, sure, but he was also witty, considerate, and so infuriating that it endeared her to him.  She couldn't help but realize that she was falling head over heels for him!

Vlad looked at Sophie warmly.  She hadn't changed a single bit since they were younger -- well, all right, maybe in a few ways, but so had he!

"I can't believe you were in St. Petersburg all along!"  Sophie was glowing from the return from her friend.  "And with such a handsome young man!"  She batted her eyelashes teasingly at Dimitri, who blushed.

Vlad cleared his throat and motioned discreetly to the dance floor.  Dimitri gladly caught the hint.

"Would you like to dance, Anya?"

She smiled and placed her hand in his. "I'd love too."

Together they spun out across the perfectly polished floor, their steps in perfect motion together.  "You dance like Isadora Duncan," he said with a  smile.

"Really?"

"Or maybe her pet."

"Dimitri!!"

"Justtttt kidding."  He twirled her in his arms and caught her against him.  They looked into each other eye's as they danced on air together, lost in the other's aura.

"My, my, they are an adorable couple!"  Sophie clucked.  "Reminds me of another couple I once knew."

"Lara and Mikhail?"

"Well just look at them!  One with fiery hair and a personality to match, one who's mysterious and dark -- they're almost a carbon copy!"

"You might say that..."

"And Dimitri is tres handsome!  He reminds me of someone...I can't quite put my finger on it..."

Vlad sighed.  "Do you know that Lara and Mikhail had a son before they died?"

"Did they?? Have you met him?  I shall help you locate him!  I want to meet this child, this boy born of two such wonderful parents who gave their lives for him!"

Vlad smiled.  You could always count on Sophie for help.

"I've already found him.  He's --"

"Probably as handsome as Mikky was!  With the ingenuity of Lara, and the  brilliance of them both!  Why, a boy like --"  Sophie's jaw dropped.  "YOU MEAN..."  She motioned over her shoulder as Anya and Dimitri swayed across the floor.

Vlad nodded quickly.  "I'll tell you everything later.  Whatever you do, don't mention it!!"

"Oui, oui, ami, I promise!  Sur ma vie!"

Vlad took her hand in his and squeezed it. How wonderful the engagement ring he had bought her so long ago -- having had to be sold years in the past -- would have looked on her petite hands.  "I have so much to tell you of.  There were so many things that could have happened.  Things that the Revolution stopped."

Sophie looked into his eyes, understanding the hidden meaning beneath the words.

"Do not fret, mon cher." She gently touched his cheek, turning his head to look at her.  "Everything will catch up in it's own due time."

Vlad smiled and moved a blonde strand of her hair out of her bright blue eyes, still glimmering after so many trials.  "I hope you're right, Sophie.  I truly hope you're right.
 

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