AN: This is my second fanfiction in the making. Please, please review; it makes me smile.
Disclaimer: I have no ownership of any characters, settings, or previous storylines of this series or franchise. All rights regarding the original plot, characters, and storyline belong to Richelle Mead.
Rpov
"Dimitri, you don't have to come with me. It's just a check up. Relax."
"I'm going", he says as he finishes pulling on his coat, the one I got him for his birthday. God, even when he's annoying, he still makes me smile.
With a sigh, we leave his apartment and head in the direction of court's walk-in clinic.
I stop him when we get to the glass front doors.
"I'm a big girl Comrade. I can handle a little checkup."
"A checkup after heart surgery isn't little"-
"The shrapnel was near my heart, not in it. And the doctors said they got all the major pieces out."-
"That's not everything"-
"Dimitri. Stop fighting me. Come on, you've been hovering all week. I'm fine. Go to work, you're late."
I was right of course, but my words came out louder and harsher than I'd intended. I could see the pain in his eyes and I knew I'd said too much. I ignored the small ache that came from under my thick bandages that came whenever I got too excited, trying look at him while hiding the small flinch I wasn't able to control.
Damn. He saw it.
With that said, a silence grew between us that I'd become used to over the last couple weeks. They had been more frequent since I'd moved into his apartment. After a few moments he let out a white cloud of air into the space around us.
With tired eyes, he was the first to speak. "I just want you to be okay. Now, not whenever these Court snobs decide you're worth the same level of attention as any other moroi here. I don't want to let you out of my sight. Every time I do, I think 'What if something happens to you?'"
I give him a small smile and attempted to bring one to his face.
"Relax comrade, it's just a clinic, not the front lines. If it's serious you'll be the first to to work and I'll call you as soon as I get back to your place."
"Our place."
"Our place "I say with a smile that I hope reached my eyes, so he can't see the emotion welling up inside me that I can't explain yet. It's not something I've ever felt before but I know it isn't love or happiness or anything else I'm supposed to feel when he says that. But just like always, I ignore it, filling it into a folder in my brain to try and decipher later.
He pulls me closer. Now I know my smile is genuine. I always feel better when he's close.
"I'm not pushing you on purpose", he says, "I'm just worried. Whenever I see you walk away from me I get so worried. Even when we're at home and you're just going to the kitchen or the bathroom, I worry."
I reach up and kiss his forehead. then his temple. then his nose. I make a trail of kisses, ending at his mouth.
We kiss and the world becomes simple. It's just us and I can breathe. I'm not scared anymore.
Before the kiss can become too deep, he moves away slightly and we both open our eyes. We stare at each other for a moment; then his phone beeps and he steps away with a reluctant sigh, muttering something in Russian to himself.
I really should learn a little Russian one day.
"Christian needs me".
"Of course he does. Who wouldn't need you?" I say, feeling his extra heat leave my body, wishing he's come closer.
He responds to the text quickly then steps forward to give me a small, sweet kiss on my cheek that brings a smile to my face.
"Call me if anything's wrong. Then call when you leave and when you get home. I'll be back before you know it."
That feeling comes back again and I squash it back.
"Sure."
His phone beeps again and he gives me a chaste kiss before walking away to wherever Christian is.
Once he's out of sight, I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding and check my watch.
5:50 pm. Right on time.
I walk through the doors and make my way to the front desk.
The nurse in at the desk wore gray scrubs and what I assumed to be sneakers. She looked about my age and was reading a magazine and had headphones in. I could tell she was listening to something techno. She wasn't the nurse I was two weeks ago before my last checkup. She was younger with curly blonde hair instead of the older lady I'd met with the yellow bumble bee scrubs, silver hair and red lipstick.
I tapped on the glass. She didn't hear me so I tapped tapped harder and she jumped and looked up. Her eyes were blue instead of brown. After a moment, she pressed a button and spoke.
"Hi. How may I help you?"
"My name is Rosemarie Hathaway. I'm here for a checkup with Dr. Grimshaw."
"I'm sorry ma'am, but Mr. Grimshaw isn't scheduled to report to the clinic until later this evening."
I guess she'd never seen me before, but by her reaction she'd heard of me. I guess my reputation really did preseed me, and she'd heard something less than positive by her reaction. Her expression had changed from slightly startled to disapproving. That had been happening everywhere since Dimitri and I had become a public couple. As we'd imagined, the public wasn't very open about two dhampirs being publicly involved with each other, let alone a former teacher and student who were also former strigoi and "murderer".
"He scheduled me for a 6:15 appointment. Can you see if he's here?"
"He's not"-
"Can you check"-
"Ma'am I just said"-
"Goodmorning you too"
We both turn to see Dr. Grimshaw walk through the doors looking a little flustered. He's wearing black scrubs and a white lab coat, holding a brown leather satchel and a large cup of coffee. From the smell, I could tell it was black. I reflexively crinkled my nose to the stench. I can't stand the smell of coffee, especially black.
"Mr. Grim- I mean Dr. Grimshaw, what are you doing here so early? You aren't scheduled for another few hours."
"I'm working overtime this week Gretchen. Didn't I tell you?"
"I...um...well I..."
"Don't worry about it. It's probably my fault. You know I can be a bit forgetful this time of year."
Her pale skin lit up with a deep blush and she bent down to pick up the magazine she'd dropped when he's walked in. She wasn't suddenly acting so strange and I could tell why.
Dr. Grimshaw was hot.
He's tall, probably just as tall as Dimitri. I'm guessing 6"3', maybe 6"4'. With as tan a skin as a moroi can get, he had short brown hair that was a little too long and greyish-blue eyes that seemed both young and old, like he'd already lived his entire life, like he knew things that you had to be older to learn. He looked young for a cardiologist, but I could tell by my last visit that he was smart. like genius-level smart.
Just like the nurse at the desk, Gretchen apparently, I'd blushed my first time seeing him and had thanked whatever higher power that was watching over me that Dimitri had had to take a call from Christian and had stepped out of the room before the good doctor had arrived. Of course I'd composed myself by the time Dimitri was back, but I'm not sure if Dr. Grimshaw had seen me. I hoped not because my only defense was to blatantly ignore it.
Despite his age, he'd handled me with precise care and hadn't made me feel shy or embarrassed about having my shirt off so he could rebandage my still healing stitches. He'd made me feel calm and safe, something I was very appreciative of since, so far, the only person to do that since I was shot had been Dimitri.
It gave me hope that I would get back to my old self with time.
I was pulled out of my reverie by my phone vibrating in my pocket, making me jump. I still wasn't used to having the cell phone that Dimitri had bought my as a welcome home present. I hadn't needed one back at St. Vlads since the campus was so small, but Court was different, bigger. You could get lost on you way to the mall if you were paying attention.
Are you okay? - Dimitri
I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. What did he think was gonna happen, that I'd drop dead between then and the five minutes I hadn't been attached to his hip?
Once I'd had the thought, I immediately regretted it. I knew Dimitri was just dealing with me being shot just like everyone else.
God, Rose, you almost died in front of the man, Give him a break! He's just worried about you. Most people wished they had someone who loved them as much as Dimitri loves you.
And with that mental reprimand, I replied.
To my surprise, Dimitri had sent two more texts, and I hadn't even noticed.
Roza?-Dimitri
What's wrong?-Dimitri
Nothing's wrong Dimitri. I'm fine. My checkup is about to start. I'll see you at your place. -Rose
I have to go. See you soon. -Dimitri
I frowned at his reply. Usually when he texts me, we talk for a few minutes. And he always says I love you before he leaves.
What did I say?
Before I could really think about it, the nurse hands me a pen and a clipboard slightly rougher than necessary. Startled, I drop my phone and we both take in a breathe.
For a moment we both just stand there, then 'I turn and glare at her.
"Sorry." She looks small and slightly scared, like a child that hopes they don't get a spanking for breaking their something expensive.
"If it's broken, you owe me $300," I say as I bent down to collect the abused piece of metal, checking for damage.
Great, the screen is cracked!
With a sigh, I check for any other damage. It appears to be fine otherwise. I glance over at Gretchen to find her still beside me, looking like she's gonna throw up while she stares at the broken screen. I guess my glare has gotten more menacing with time.
She notices me looking at her at takes a step back, apologizing again.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. Im really sorry, but I don't have $300 and my parents will kill me if they have to pay it. I'm really really really sorry. It was an acident, honest. I didn't do it on purpose"-
"Gretchen, shut up!" She flinches at my volume. I didn't mean to yell at her, but word vomit is really annoying.
"You only broke the screen."
I see her visibly relax, so much so that it's almost comical. If I wasn't so annoyed, I would have laughed.
"Thank God. Again, I'm really sorry. How much do I owe you for it? I'm really really sorry"-
"It's fine. Just get away from me."
"Are you sure? Because I think I have enough to cover it if you'd just wait a moment so I can go get my wallet from the back. I feel really bad about this, you looked like you were having an important conversation. I hope I didn't just "-
"Gretchen back away from me and shut the hell up before I punch you so hard that you'll be the one needing a doctor's visit."
She stopped whatever she was about to say and made a beeline back to her desk. Once there, she proceeded to drop her head on her desk rather loudly, a didn't make another sound.
With a huff, I sat down in a chair and filled out the forms quickly. I checked the time again. 6:20. Great. Now I'm late to the appointment I came early to. Thanks Gretchen.
I walk up to the desk and hand her my paperwork. She checks over and files it in a file cabinet in a back room behind the desk without saying a word.
Upon her return, she handed me a piece of paper with a number on it and told me to walk through the doors to my left and find room 4.
The room was sterile and white and cold, just like I remembered. There were flowers painted on the white walls as an attempt to make the room more inviting.
I sat down in one of the cold leather chairs while I waited.
About ten minutes later, a nurse with tan skin and curly brown hair came in. She looked to be in her early forties and had a motherly demeanor. When she introduced herself with a warm smile a Nurse Jackie, I was too stunned to reply. This was the first time I'd seen a dhampir working in the medical field, let alone a woman. That odd feeling I'd felt earlier welled up inside me again and my chest began to ache, this time more painful that uncomfortable. I gasped involuntarily and clutched the arm of my chair. I could hear Nurse Jackie calling my name but it sounded very far away, like there was a distance between us that I couldn't see.
Dark spots start to obscure my vision as I try to blink them away. I am unsuccessful. The spots get bigger and Jackie's voice gets smaller. I feel like I'm falling.
As the darkness takes me in its velvet blanket, welcoming me, the last thing I hear is Jackie frantically calling Dr. Grimshaw.
What the hell is going on?
AN: On my profile page are links to what I imagine all the important characters to look like. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review!