Summary: It was supposed to be perfectly safe. No one was supposed to get hurt. AU. One-Shot. Rated T for language.

Nothing goes as planned,
Everything will break.
People say goodbye.
In their own special way

Andrew Belle – In My Veins

They were at a mall. A perfectly safe location, with plenty of humans around as witnesses if anything went wrong. Strigoi wouldn't dare attack. Lissa had wanted to buy a few new clothes before classes at St. Vladimir's started again. Of course Christian tagged along.

The couple was currently browsing for T-shirts, oblivious to anything around them. Rose stood a few respectful feet away, casually watching them.

She was aware of Dimitri's gaze on them. It made her feel secure and somewhat more inspired to do her best on this job.

But obviously nothing serious would happen. It was early in the afternoon.

The fact that trouble was the least expected thing on Rose's mind made the attack scarier than it actually was. Who would've thought that a human could cause such panic?

Rose should've known better. She told herself that Dimitri must have expected something to happen. He probably didn't let his guard down and look at some jeans that were on sale. They were 20% off, by the way.

It was a shooter. He came into the store and started shooting. Yelling.

Rose saw Christian tackle Lissa to the ground before she herself was knocked off her feet.

It was Dimitri. He quickly turned Rose to face him, noticing that she was shaking.

Are you okay? His eyes silently asked her, searching. He did not dare speak, fearing the shooter would come towards the noise, now that everything was quiet and the screaming people had long run out of the store.

Rose nodded shakily. Dimitri didn't take a second glance at her; otherwise he would have noticed how tightly Rose was clutching her side.

As he slowly stood up, all Rose could think of was that he was leaving her side. Not staying, to protect.

She was then hit by a wave of panic. Not her own panic. It was Lissa's.

She was scared. Christian was holding her, not letting her lift her head, and all Lissa could think of was where the hell Rose was.

Rose wanted to get up and follow Dimitri, who in no doubt went to check on Lissa. Or maybe he went to dispose of the shooter. Maybe security already did that. Shouldn't the police be here? Rose's thoughts were too hazy to think straight.

She felt weak, but she shouldn't. If anything, she should've been full of adrenaline. Ready to face anything. That's what her normal reaction to danger was.

Rose removed her hand from her abdomen. Her vision started to become foggy. She felt her heart race. Her fingers were sticky. Why were her fingers sticky?

"Where's Rose?" She heard Lissa ask loudly. "Rose?"

She wanted to speak up, but she couldn't find the strength to.

"Oh my God!" An unfamiliar voice exclaimed. Rose closed her eyes. The person was being too loud.

"Help!" Another voice shrieked. Oh, shut up, please, just shut up.

"Rose? Rose!" This voice was familiar. Dimitri. He sounded upset.

"I-I… I think I hurt," Rose whispered. Movement. She felt some movement.

Dimitri was crying. She could tell because while he held her head and stroked her hair, a tear hit her cheek.

"Apply pressure…. Too much bleeding…. Gunshot wound…. the lower abdomen…. – are on they're way…."

"Hey," Rose called softly, opening her eyes and looking up at Dimitri. "I'm okay… I'm going to be… okay."

He didn't understand. He should be the one comforting her, not the other way around.

He didn't understand. He thought she was fine when he first checked.

He didn't understand, because she shouldn't have been shot. She shouldn't have. It wasn't fair.

"I can't- I can't heal her," someone hiccupped. Rose felt their despair. Lissa. It was Lissa.

Rose sighed.

"I'm going to… going to be okay…."

Disclaimer: All characters belong to author Richelle Mead.