I've been burning in water and drowning in flame
To prove you wrong and scare you away
I admit my defeat and want back home
In your heart under the rose
~ H.I.M , Under the Rose

"Let me go!" I heard her screams,"No! You can't!"

I could feel my breath catch in my throat as I watched Rose fight against Eddie. It wan't her normal behavior. It was my Roza, she was something different; she was murderous. I don't know what Zeklos did to piss her off, nor do I know what was happening to her. I don't understand anything. I've been trying to keep an open mind, but sometimes its hard especially when it comes to her. She's my everything, and yet she's my nothing. She's everything I want, but everything I can't have. Its not the age difference that bothers me so much, but the fact that we will be guarding the same person. Our charge will need us to guard her against strigoi, but... I wouldn't be able to save Valissa if Rose was in danger and I knew it. To see her in this state, terrified me and I want to do everything I can to protect her.

I raced over to Eddie as fast as I could. I could hear Alberta trying to calm Rose.

"It is not over! Not until I get my hands around his throat and choke the life out of him!"

I tried my hardest to keep control of my emotions when I heard Alberta's voice in the distance of my own mind and I only nodded. I walked up behind Eddie, as the younger boy looked at me with relief as he handed the smaller girl to me. She tried to break for it, but I grabbed her arm with lightning fast speed and began to drag Rose away from the scene."We can make this easy or difficult," I said as I walked her through the woods."There's no way I'm letting you go to Jesse. Besides, he's at the med clinic, so you'd never get near him. If you can accept that, I'll release you. If you bolt, you know I'll just restrain you again." I explained clearly to the raging girl within my arms. Even though I couldn't see her face; I knew the wheels were turning in that thick skull of her's.

"Okay," I heard her say.

I hesitated of course, even in her angry state, she still was crafty and I knew it. I'm her mentor after all. Her mentor that word... I hate it. I hate that word with such passion because it reminded me of who she is and what she wants to be, what she wants to achieve in her life. I let go of her arm, but I only relaxed slightly. Rose was the epitome of change. One moment she could be a bouncing ball of eager energy, then a defensive person with a hot head and a loud mouth the next.

"Alberta told you to clean me up," she said cooly."So we're going to the med clinic?"

I knew that was going to come up."Nice try. I'm not letting you near him. We'll get first aid somewhere else." I scoffed and lead her to a different area of the grounds, making our way to the tiny cabin that Tasha Ozera had stayed in during her visit. I opened the door, darkness flooded the room. I stepped inside, pulling rose with me as I quickly searched for a lantern and matches. Once I found the objects I was looking for I lit the lantern and set it down before pulling up a chair and pointed for Rose to sit down."Sit down," I commanded, once I knew she was seated I started a small fire, grabbed a first aid kit and a bottle of water from the counter, and walked back over to the bed, dragging the chair with me as I sat down in front of her.

I listened to Rose rant about how she was the only one who did things and no one else tried. Plus the fact that everyone needed to be punished for what they did. I said my input as I took great care in cleaning the cut on her forehead. Then her composure changed as she said a very shocking accusation, her body trembled with fury. I watched her as she got up and went to break out for a run, but I was ten steps ahead of her and tackled Rose to the ground. I held on tighter when I felt her writhe beneath me, trying to escape.

"Rose! Snap out of this!" I yelled."You don't mean any of it. You've been stressed and under a lot of pressure-it's making a terrible even that much worse." I tried to explain reasonably to her, but I had a feeling she wasn't going to listen.

"Stop it!" she screamed back."You're doing it-just like you always do. You're always so reasonable, no matter how awful things are. What happened to you wanting to kill Victor in prison, huh? Why was that okay, but not this?"

I growled and closed my eyes tightly."Because that was an exaggeration. You know it was. But with this... this is something different. There's something wrong with you right now."

"No, there's something right with me." she challenged me, she was thinking of another plan of escape, I know she was because she is after all the Rose Hathaway I've been training for the past year. She was the same Rose only angrier, more frightening."I'm the only one who wants to do anything around here, and if that's wrong, I'm sorry. You keep wanting me to be some impossible, good person, but I'm not! I'm not a saint like you."

"Neither of us is a saint," I stated dryly."Believe me, I don't-" I was caught off guard. Rose distracted me just for a brief moment, shoving me off of her and tried to dart off. I pushed myself back up, grabbed her and pinned her back down on the bed. I made sure to use my full weight so she couldn't get away this time. I was trying my hardest not to think of the position we were in right now, or how close our bodies were at that moment. She shouted for me to let her go, but I kept a good hand on her as she struggled to get free."No," I said firmly, but yet with a slight hint of desperation."Not until you break out of this. This isn't you!"

I could see the tears in her eyes, my heart breaking with every word she spoke."It is! Let me go!"

"It's not. It isn't you! It isn't you." I could hear the agony in my voice, but at this point I didn't care. I wanted my Roza back. When she tried to argue once more her words dropped off. Realization hit her and I watched the internal struggle she had within herself."Rose," I said, pushing every ounce of love I felt for the girl beneath me in just one word, her name. I watched her intently, her struggles ceasing and she started to tremble, not with anger, but with fear. I released my hold on her knowing it was finally safe.

"Oh my god," her voice was shaky, and I couldn't stand it. I gently reached up and caressed the side of her face, feeling her soft skin beneath my fingertips."Rose," I whispered."Are you okay?"

"I... I think so for now."

"It's over," I stated. I brushed her soft tresses away from her face and bit my bottom lip."It's over. Every thing's all right." I knew it wasn't true, but I Wanted to make believe it was, even for just a little bit. I watched Rose shake her head in disagreement before speaking.

"No. It's not. You... you don't understand. It's true-everything I'm worried about. About Anna? About me taking away spirit's craziness. It's happening, Dimitri. Lissa lost it out there with Jesse. She was out of control, but I stopped her because I sucked away her anger and put it into myself. And it's-it's horrible. It's like I'm, I don't know, a puppet. I can't control myself." she explained her theories.

I couldn't believe them. No, I didn't want to believe them, but I know I should. I know I should take in everything she's saying to me and find a way to stop it. I know. I know right now maybe the last chance I will ever get to be with her alone like this ever again. There was this sinking gut feeling within my stomach and I didn't like it, but I know it's right. I know now that I almost lost my Rose. I almost lost the vibrant young woman I fell in love with, and I don't want to lose her again.

I don't know how long we've argued back and forth over the situation, about her being terrible. She wasn't terrible; in fact, far from it. I closed my eyes briefly before puling away and cupped her face within my large hands."You aren't. You won't," I said."I won't let you. No matter what, I won't let you." I was dead serious. I won't let her do this to herself, not anymore. I vowed to myself I would help her in anyway I can. I felt her arms wrap around my neck and I smiled as I leaned my head down, connecting our lips into a soul searing kiss.

Every kiss from her was like a liquid fire burning through my veins. It made me crave her more and more. She was a drug, a very addicting drug that I never want to get rid of. From now on, I will no long run away from her. I will no longer deny myself this... this precious gift God has given me. I deepened the kiss more, I wanted more of her, I needed more of her. My body ached with its pent up arousal, begging me to set it free. I carefully laid Rose back down onto the bed, locking my arms around her waist then slid my hand down to her thigh. I gripped it tightly and pulled it up next to my body, making it almost wrap around myself. The kiss was broken momentarily."We can't..." I whispered. I know we shouldn't, but God I wanted this with all of my heart and soul. I wanted her.

"I know," she agreed with me.

Then I ascended my mouth onto her's once more, tasting her delicious mouth once more. It was a challenge to get off her coat, her hands pulling off my shirt, then I tore her shirt off as well. I took my time, reveling in her body, with each piece of cloth that came off. I tried to make as much eye contact with Rose as much as possible, letting her know my love for her was beyond what any word can describe. Finally, our clothes ended up piling onto the floor, nothing left but our bare skin against one another. I shivered in anticipation. I carefully entered her with one swift thrust to ease any pain she might have quickly and effectively. Oh God, just to be within her was like heaven itself. To be one with the young woman beneath me was everything I could ever want... no. It was more. I knew she was still just learning, after all she was a virgin. I took my time, letting us explore one another, letting her take control occasionally.

Everything was perfect. I closed my eyes tightly as I joined our bodies once more before cumming within her, her body collapsing on top of mine. I smiled and ran my fingers through her luscious locks. The perspiration that covered our body was evidence enough to what we had just done, and our bodies still one with one another. I just couldn't get the nerve to remove myself from her body. I wanted to stay like this. Forever. I kissed her forehead and smiled as I lazily whispered into her ear."I love you, Roza."

And I did. I love her so much, so fucking much to the point I went against everything I've told myself from the moment I met her and I don't care. She was mine and I was her's. That's all that mattered. My heart, under the rose.