Author's note:

Rated Mature for later chapters. If you don't like, don't read, or I might feel generous and warn ahead of time. Set after the end of the series, though with a slight twist. The guardians were just figuring out about Rose and Dimitri and weren't taking it well. Abe and Janine never found out. They stayed a bit secretive, in hopes to slowly reveal it to everyone.

I'm writing this story, knowing that I will have to acknowledge the fact that I have read A LOT of fan-fiction and that means pieces here and there may be similar to other stories out there. But this is a work of my own. If you read this and truly feel that I took your idea, message me and I will put a note in about it. But the again I may now have read your story, because great minds think alike.

It's not going to go exactly the way everyone seems to do these stories. I'm gonna try to put some twists in here, and if you have any suggestions feel free to pm me with them. I love taking suggestions into account when I can.

Btw, this is my first published fan-fiction I wrote a lot before this, but now I need something to with my time (bored college student) so be gentle. Give good criticism. I do appreciate it!

Rose's POV (RPOV)

I was curled up on the couch, watching nothing in particular when I heard the front door open. I glanced at the clock on the wall, frowning in confusion. Dimitri was home early. That is completely out of the ordinary for him; he's always right on time. I grabbed the remote from the coffee table, turning off the television. I stretched, having grown stiff from lounging on the couch for too long.

I heard his footsteps coming close, but they were slower than usual. He wasn't rushing to see me like he normally does when he gets home. He turned the corner into the living room and his eyes met mine. Immediately I knew something was wrong. He was wearing his guardian mask. He never did that around me; there was no need to.

"Dimitri, what is it?" I asked, almost hesitant to know what would cause him to ask so strangely.

"I'm leaving, Rose." His voice was devoid of all emotion, giving me nothing to work with. I could feel my expression change to one of confusion. I stood and took a step towards him.

"What do you mean?" I asked, not giving myself time to think for myself about what he could mean. I knew how my thoughts worked and they would definitely take me to places I didn't want to go.

"I'm leaving court. I've been resigned over in Europe." For a moment, it seemed that his mask would falter, but it held strong. Or, maybe it was my desperate hope to know what he was really thinking.

I put on a brave smile, not wanting to understand what the sub-text of the conversation was telling me. "Oh, so where are we going? France? Germany? Maybe home to Russia?" I let myself ponder and get lost in my delusions. I crossed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around his waist, looking up to his face.

He slowly pulled back from my embrace, removing my arms as if I had a contagious disease. "Not we, Rose. Only I." He stepped away from me then and stepped to walk towards the bedroom.

"Wait!" I grabbed his wrist, spinning him back towards me. "What do you mean, 'not we?' Of course it's we. I go where you go." I heard an almost desperate tone starting to leak into my voice. I couldn't let this happen. I must not understand him correctly. Yeah, that was it. I was confused.

He shook his head slowly, pulling arm away from me. "No, Rose. I'm leaving. Alone." He emphasized the word, as if saying it on its own was not enough. "This position is a great opportunity for me. I'll be working with a few Moroi who are studying spirit and its effects. I'm the prefect subject for that." He stepped back from me again, obviously trying to put a bit of space between us. He looked as if he was at loss for words. It was as if he had run out of things that he had prepared to say. "I leave in the morning. I need to pack." He turned away from me then, walking into the bedroom. He left me there, frozen in shock. This couldn't be happening. Our life had just started!

I followed him and grabbed my suitcase from inside the closet. I threw it on to the bed and flung the top open. Hastily, I began shoving clothes from my drawers into it. On about the third handful of clothes, Dimitri's hand wrapped itself around my wrist, stopping my movement. I looked to his face, still hoping he let his mask drop, even for the slightest of moments. I had no such luck.

"What are you doing, Rose?" His tone was almost harsh, but there was something else there, some other emotion I couldn't place. "I told you. I'm leaving. You're not." His words stung, but I held my ground. I wore my own mask now, but I couldn't help but wonder if it was as good as his.

"Where you go, I go too. I'm going with you, Dimitri." My voice was strong, though inside I felt weak and broken. "I don't care about your reasons. Lissa will be fine without me here. I don't have the bond anymore." As much as it hurt me to say my next words, I knew they were true. "I'm just another guardian now. I'm replaceable. She's Queen Valissa. There are plenty of other guardians for her."

His grip loosened on my wrist, but he still didn't let me go. "This isn't about Lissa." He whispered, his mask faltering for just a moments time. I couldn't quite understand what I saw there. Fear? Sadness, maybe. But as quickly as it fell, it was put back into place. "This has nothing to do with her, I'm making this decision on my own."

"Why then?" I lost my control then, and I saw him almost flinch. "Why can't I come with you?" I felt tears brimming my eyes. I was beginning to crack, and I hoped he wouldn't answer the way I was beginning to suspect he would. He whispered again, this time so quietly that didn't catch what he said. "What was that?" He answered me with silence. "Tell me!" I shouted.

"Because I don't want you to come with me!" He returned my shout with one of his, which he then followed with a deep, calming breath. "I don't you to come, Rose." He paused, as if to think about his next words. His next were firm, but somewhat quieter. "I don't want you."

I was surprised that I wasn't crying. Somehow this revelation had completely dried my eyes. "You don't want me?" My brain was frozen, not quiet working. I took a breath, calming myself as he had. "What happened to forever? Why now?" I couldn't understand how I was so calm. I felt like my body was running on autopilot.

"I just..." He seemed lost for an answer, something I had never truly seen before from him. "I realized how different from each other we are. You need someone you own age, Rose. Not someone like me." I stood there silently, processing his. Somehow with each one, I grew more angry, not upset like I should be. "I need something different."

I nodded, crossing my arms across my chest. "Fine."

He almost looked shocked. "Fine?" He looked at me as if I had grown a second head or something. "What do you mean, 'Fine.'?"

I shrugged, though I don't know how I kept myself together. "I understand. It's all about the career. A job advancement. Go then. You had you fun with me, but now that you're done, you're leaving. I should have expected as much from a man who could cross the student-teacher boundary." I knew I was being harsh, and that I didn't really believe what I said, but I didn't care. My give-a-damn broke a few minutes ago when this all started.

I turned and walked out the room, slamming the door behind me. I stomped through the house, not exactly sure where I was going or what I was looking for. I just felt the incessant need to smash something. I settled for being outside, somewhere I could breath fresh air. I don't know how long I stood there, leaning against the house, but finally he stepped out.

I looked to him and found he was carrying both his suitcases. "So you're leaving tonight." Voice was indifferent, while my mind was completely numb. "Makes sense. Wouldn't wanna stay here any longer than you have to."

"Rose, I'm sorry." He eyes pleaded with me to believe him, but I wouldn't give in now. "I wish this could be different, but I don't see how it can." He ducked his head and began walking for the street, but I stepped in front of him.

"Answer me this, Belikov." This time there was a visible flinch when I addressed him. "What happened to the man who loved me?" This caused pain to flash in his eyes. I was glad for it, he caused me to feel it. Why shouldn't he? "Where is the man who promised to never leave me?"

He looked away from me, not wanting to meet my eyes. "I do love you, Rose," he began, sounding as if he was in agony, "but it's not enough. I don't love you like I thought I did." He looked back to me then, his expression broken. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah." My tone was blunt and biting. "Me too. Sorry I ever laid eyes on you."

"Rose... please. Try to understand." He was now the one who was pleading. How ironic life can be sometimes.

"I understand perfectly." Just then, a taxi pulled up behind me. The driver waved to Dimitri, who signaled for the driver to wait just a moment. "I take it that's your ride outta here. Go. You're free of me." I stared at him, my expression cold.

He sighed a weary man's sigh. "Goodbye." He whispered and leaned into me, as if to kiss my forehead. I shoved him back, appalled that he thought he had the right to touch me after this.

"Don't you dare touch me," I growled at him, burying my pain even further down with anger and hatred. "It already makes me sick to think you've touched me. Used me. Now go." When he didn't move, I shoved him forward. Hard. "Go! Leave! Get in the damned taxi and don't you dare come back here. There is nothing more I have to say to you."

His eyes glistened, and, for a moment, I thought he might cry. But he was strong as ever, I'd give him that much. "Goodbye, Roza." He said softly.

"It's Guardian Hathaway to you, Guardian Belikov." I could see that was the finally blow. The worst I could say to him. He looked utterly defeated and it took everything I had in me to stay strong. But somehow, I managed it. "We're done here." And with that I opened the door and walked back into the house.

I stood there, my back pressed to the door, breathing heavily. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. Worst of all, I wanted Dimitri. I didn't know how I lasted this long, but finally my facade collapsed. I burst into tears, crying harder than I think I ever have. I fell to my knees, wanting nothing more than to curl up and disappear.

I heard the taxi take off and I was out the door before I knew what I was doing. I ran to the end of drive, screaming for him. Screaming his name, for him to come back. Just screaming. The moment I lost sight of the taxi, I broke. Completely. I collapsed to the ground, crying hard, laying there on the cool asphalt of the driveway. I let myself hurt, and I didn't get up. I didn't want to face this. I didn't want to live without him by my side.

I didn't want to be.