Is it really possible to be given a second chance at love and life?

Rose will find that out one way or another.

Dimitri POV:

New semester as a teacher at the academy and new issues. One of the big ones seem to be getting there in the first place. With all the new students and old students coming and getting unpacked everything is getting crazy. I guess now is as good a time as any to go on a walk, now if only I could find Ivan we could hang out and discuss our upcoming classes with our students.

As I round the corner I see him talking to a new teacher, a pretty blond women that he seemed to be very into. As I roll my eyes I approach, "Hello, I would hate to interrupt but I wanted to know if you still wanted to go on that walk Ivan." As they look over Ivan introduced the women as the new home etc. Teacher. She seemed nice enough. Once Ivan agrees to come with we head to my car to take a drive to a wooded park area not too far away.

The drive was nothing special and the whole time Ivan seemed to have nothing but the blond on his mind.

I was just thankful we got thee quickly and could start the real talk about classes.

"So just to wrap up the talk about the blond, is she one of the one night stands you plan to have this semester?"

"I'm offended man, this girl might actually be worth more than a single night, and her name is Lisa."

I just shrug as we start our walk through a path that doesn't look like it has much traffic.

It doesn't take long till I get the feeling something is wrong. There was a dog barking in the woods somewhere. Not a typical thing in this part of the woods. Something was wrong. "Ivan…"

"I'm on it man, I'll go left you right?"

I nod and we head off to approach where the dog is from different sides. As I push the brush out of the way the dog came into view, with a makeshift leash tied to a tree. That wasn't what I was concerned about at that moment however. The girl the dog was desperately pulling against the tree to get to was.

Laying in the underbrush was a female probably late teens, torn cloths, cuts all over her body. The thing that really made me panic was seeing her skirt ripped and the underwear she had on pulled down. She had been assaulted in more than one way. As I rushed over to her Ivan rounded the corner, as he took it all in I shouted orders to him, knowing he would listen, I told him to call the academy and have someone sent down from the police.

I checked to see if she was breathing and she was, lightly. Without hesitation I picked her up and told Ivan to bring the dog with. Luckily the dog seemed more than willing to come without biting us.

When we got to the clearing the girl was starting to wake up. I set her down lightly as she opened her beautiful brown eyes. "You're okay now, help is on its way just hold on a little longer."

Rose's POV:

He was following me I know it. I think I'm close enough to make a run for it so I do. I'm so close to the main street, to safety but all of a sudden I feel hands on me. "Nice try Rosie, you and I are going to have some fun."

That was all I remembered before everything went black. I woke up when he pulled the car door open, I guess I was out for enough time that we got to where we were going. My head hurt but I'm sure worse is to come. As he pulls the door open I try to fight back and make a run for it, so close! "Hahahaha, it's cute how you think you can run from me. Rosie there is nowhere to go. You have been out for hours we aren't anywhere you might know." He was taunting me and he knew he had me trapped. "What am I just a plaything to you. Something to use and throw away!"

"Rosie, I'm hurt. I love you, you know that. But you have been bad, you tried to move on without me. You told me you didn't love me and must be punished for it."

With that said Chris got a dangerous look in his eye. Next thing I knew he grabbed me by the hair and dragged me into the woods. I started to curse and scream with hopes that someone would hear me. Chris just laughed.

Suddenly there was growling and he wasn't laughing anymore. He let go of my hair and I fell to the ground.

Right in front of me was a big shepherd snarling at him. When he pulled the rope out of his backpack and attached it to a tree I couldn't figure out what he was doing till he approached the dog. The dog backed up and Chris moved to me instead. He went to grab my hair again and the dog lunged at him.

It's like he saw it coming, he grabbed the dog and looped the makeshift collar and leash on the dog. He was quick but the shepherd was quick enough to get one good bite in before it was stuck.

"Fuck, the dumb mutt. Well that rope was meant for you my sweet but I guess it was just an added step we can get rid of."

I had managed by then to back up a bit more but he saw and grabbed me. When I screamed he hit me across the face. Everything was seen through stars now.

"Now now Rosie, be a good girl and your punishment won't be as bad."

I struggled to get away but he was right there pulling me by the hair. When he started to tear my clothes I started to fight harder. That was the moment Chris decided to pull a knife and cut my upper thigh. "Now now, look what you made me do. You don't want me to cut that pretty neck do you?"

I couldn't help it I let out a whimper. He just smiled and started to pull his pants down, the dog barking and pulling against the tree in the background.

When his hands went on me I couldn't help but try to escape, I didn't want this! Chris backhanded me and started to hit me some more. My underwear was down and his hands were all over me. Next thing I knew he was forcing himself into somewhere I never wanted him. I couldn't help it, I screamed and then all went black as he hit me in the head with a rock.

I don't know how long it was but I was coming back to it. I could hear barking and felt hands on me. They felt different, warm and gently. Slowly I started to open my eyes and I was being carried and placed on the grass in a clearing.

"You're okay now, help is on its way just hold on a little longer."

Who was this man with the accent? I had to know. "Who are you? Where is the dog?" After a second I really remembered what happened. "Where is Chris?" I was terrified he was still around and started to struggle. "Calm down there is no Chris here. You're safe now. Your dog is with my friend and the police are coming. Relax, you're safe now."

I couldn't calm down, I couldn't handle it. Everything went black.

Dimitri POV: She was awake and clearly confused. "Who are you? Where is the dog?" Before I could answer her expression changed, she looked terrified, "Where is Chris?" Chris? Was that the name of the man that did this? "Calm down there is no Chris here. You're safe now. Your dog is with my friend and the police are coming. Relax, you're safe now." She was panicking and before I knew it she had fainted.

A second after she fainted the police arrived and the academy right behind them. Statements were taken and I went with the mystery girl in the ambulance. Ivan took the dog with the police to see if maybe the dog had scratched or bitten the man responsible.

She seemed so small and fragile as they hooked her up to machines in the hospital room.

Soon after the doctor left the room, having done a blood work up and a rape kit along with all the typical tests required with head injuries, she woke up.

"You're safe now. You're in the hospital and no one is going to hurt you here."

She just nodded. "What is your name?"

I had to know who this girl was. "It's Rose, and you are?"

"Dimitri, your dog is with my friend still, the police want to see if there is any DNA from your assailant on her."

Rose nodded, "She bit him, I saw it, he was bleeding. There is probably blood from him in the woods." "I'll let the police know."

We kept talking for a while more. The doctors came in to talk to her and she wanted me to stay so I did. The police were next to come in and because the circumstances were so odd the dog was brought too.

Rose lit up when she saw her.

Rose POV:

"Is she allowed to stay with me?" I couldn't believe it the dog from the woods was standing in front of me right now in the hospital. I looked to Dimitri for an answer and he nodded. "She is your dog and you've been through enough so they made an exception."

My dog? Oh they must have assumed. She does seem to really like me and doesn't have a collar. But I have to do the right thing by her. "She isn't mine she came running to me when I was screaming in the woods she tried to protect me."

Dimitri nodded and a few calls were made. Someone from the dog shelter came to see if she was chipped. Upon coming in the woman recognized the dog immediately. "Well this is the first time I have seen her in a hospital. This girl is a stray that has been escaping the dog catchers for months. I'll take her off your hands if you want." A stray? Well that explains why she didn't have an owner with her. "I'll keep her. I'll take her in and give her a good home" What was I saying I didn't even know this dog. But then again she did try to save me.

"If you're okay with it I'll grab some papers from my car and make it official."

I was more than excited, after all the crappy things to happen this was the first good thing.

Dimitri POV:

Rose seemed to be calming down and relaxing after everything that has happened. She was excited over the dog and named her Bella. Saying something about how she looked like a Bella. I'm not too sure what that means but I nodded. This girl was something else. After all that happened to her she was smiling and making jokes with Ivan. When the time came the police called her parents and she spoke to them on the phone. Everything was happening so quickly the next thing I knew she was being enrolled as a student in the Academy. Her parents knew of the security measures the school took and knew they wanted the most secure environment for Rose.

This beautiful girl was going to be a student of mine and all I can think about is how I want to hold her and never let go. Get a hold of yourself Dimitri, She is to be a student and you her mentor, not her lover. I need some fresh air. "If you want I can take Bella out for a walk and grab some stuff from the store for her? Like a proper collar and leash and some food." Rose nodded and smiled "Thank you. I don't know what I would do if you weren't there and found us and helped. "She was so sincere it made me want to embrace her and hold her close. Instead I petted Bella and she jumped down with me to go outside. She looked back and rose waved at her saying she would see us both soon. The walk was good, Bella was surprisingly good on a leash for a street dog. The store was another matter, she was unsure and not thrilled with other people came closer to her. We made it through and were back at the hospital before visiting hours ended. Bella jumped back up with rose and snuggled in like I wish I could. "Thanks for making it back before hours ended, I really didn't want to go to sleep alone after everything that happened… This is going to sound crazy and stupid and forward and I totally understand if you say no but I was wondering… Is there any chance you would be willing to stay with me in the room tonight? I know we just met and you're going to be my teacher when we get back and all but I feel comfortable with you and I really don't want to be alone in case I have any nightmares…" Rose was biting her lip and I couldn't help feel the blood rush to my lower regions. She wanted me to stay with her and I wanted nothing more than to. "I'll ask your doctor if it's alright if I do."

With The green light I got comfortable on the extra bed in the room and Rose and I spent some time talking before she fell asleep. As expected she woke up about 4 am crying and thrashing about. Bella was nudging her and whimpering, looking to me to help. I got up and walked over to her gently shaking her awake. "Chris, he was…" She didn't have to say more, I knew what she dreamt about. Without thinking I scooted behind her and rubbed her shoulders. After a minute she stopped crying and leaned against me.

Rose POV:

Dimitri agreed to stay with me for the night and I was thrilled. Bella was cuddling with me and Dimitri was on the other bed and we talked till I fell asleep. Before I knew it I was back in the woods and Chris was on top of me ripping my clothes. I woke up crying with Dimitri above me. He looked so concerned. "Chris, he was…" I couldn't say any more I started shaking I was crying so much and he scooted behind me to rub my shoulders. He was making soothing noises and as I calmed down I leaned against him. "Thank you for staying. I know we barely know each other. I know you didn't sign up for a crying hysterical girl and I'd understand if if you didn't want to stay any longer." As I looked up and to my side to see him his hand came up and brushed my cheek. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm here because I want to be and that won't be changing anytime soon."

He was staying because he wanted to? He didn't feel he had to? Dimitri not only was gorgeous and had a sexy accent but he wanted to be around me.

When I looked back I caught him watching my lips, he looked away when he knew he was caught.

"Try to get some more sleep, tomorrow is a big day. Your parents are coming up with your stuff and you'll be released and moving into your new room."