Okay so I am going to write the next chap to my other story very very soon, but I wanted to do some fluff from Dimitri's POV to, it helps me to get into the character if that makes any sense, haha hope you like it!! :)

This was getting out of hand, my feeling for Rose were strange and unfamiliar. I worried about her, I could always tell when she was upset and it scared me. She was tough, and stubborn, and her sarcastic remarks were supposed to scare people off, but a lot of the time they were proof that she was scared.

She didn't let people in, she didn't even let me in, it was true that she had the bond with Lissa and that they were best friends, but I knew that she often hid her true feelings from her friend out of love and selflessness. She handled all of Lissa's problems, but would never willingly give Lissa the burden of hers. As I thought all of this she walked into the gym, it was like a pain had been in my chest when she was gone and I didn't notice it until it was relieved.

"Sorry I'm late, my stupid lip gloss ran out and I had to look for another tube, turns out that I'm all out, this school just gets better and better." She didn't think I was listening to her small teenage girl woes, but I did, and I immediately thought of all the guardians that owed me a night shift, I could slip out and get her some by tomorrow. "You know you would think that a school with so many royal students could provide decent lip care." She said as she started her stretches.

"Okay, today we are going to cut your running time in half so unless you want a Strigoi to catch you because of a pulled ligament you should stretch."

"What does it look like I am doing Comrade?" Something was bothering her, that much was easy to tell, but I wouldn't push for information just yet.

"It looks like you are attempting to stretch, but I can't be completely sure with that kind of posture."

She shot a glare at me, but straightened her back. I watched as she worked, and unsuccessfully tried to push back the feelings I had for her. She stood up and we headed outside, it was cold but there was no wind, which was rare for Montana.

She took off and I matched my pace to hers, she never liked it that I had to slow for her, but running beside her was much for enjoyable than fast runs I took alone.

She said nothing, but she was slower than usual and her look was far off, I was her mentor not her friend and I had to make her the best guardian she could be.

"A Strigoi is not going to care that you are out of lip gloss, or about whatever is making you so upset, they will take advantage of you and snap your neck before you see them coming." I saw shock flash across her face, she wasn't used to people noticing things about her, and it bothered her. She stopped and glared at me, I wasn't going to let her quit, not now, but I could see that she was barely holding herself together, and I needed to see her smile so I started towards gym, and she followed wordlessly.

We got to the mat and I sat down, she followed suit and sat directly across from me as far ways as the mat would allow.

"Rose, tell me what is wrong."

"Global Warming, pollution, crooked politicians, and I'm pretty sure the stock market is crashing but I haven't had any contact with the outside world since Lissa and I left." It was a usual type of remark for her, but her tone had a note of hopelessness I had not heard from her before, and it terrified me. She lowered her eyes and played with her fingers.

"Rose what is wrong with you, that's what I care about and harsh comments are not going to change that."

She didn't answer she just kept her eyes down. "Rosemarie Hathaway I am your mentor, and whatever is upsetting you this much as to mess up your training is my business and you will tell me."

She kept her head down and mumbled so softly I knew I wasn't meant to hear, but I did. "You can quit pretending you care, ok, just move on with your life"

Her words made my heart ache, she was in so much pain, and I still had no idea why. The feelings I had for her were burning, and I spoke without thinking, I moved forward and closed the space between us, with only inches between our knees. "Roza, look at me." Her face slowly lifted and I could finally see her eyes, they were red and blood shot with dark circles surrounding the bottom. "Talk to me." I meant it so much it hurt, I needed her to trust me, and I needed her.

"I can't." What did she mean by that?

"Why do you say that? Of course you can. You can tell me anything Roza." I was so passionate about what I said I slipped and used the Russian nickname that I loved. She was close to the edge and she was fighting to keep the tears at bay, she didn't want to cry in front of me, didn't she see how much I cared for her, and how it would only increase that love if she were to let me in, to let me see the weak side, and let me make it better? As I thought these things I knew that I shouldn't want that, I shouldn't want her to think of me as more than a teacher, but this was Rose, and with her nothing was what it should be. As I said that she looked into my eyes and I saw something break deep inside her. The tears flowed and flowed, her breath was in short gasps, she started to shake with sobs, and she buried her face in her hands, I reached out to touch her, but realized what I was doing and let my arm drop. She looked up at me and with a visible effort was able to speak clearly.

"This stupid school! You think that you are protecting Lissa and that your Guardians can handle everything that will hurt us but you're wrong!" I noticed the "us" and figured that this was not just about Vasilissa.

"Somebody is putting dead animals in her room, and no one knows who! And it's not enough for me to be upset; I have to feel her worry and sadness to! It gets to be a little much!" As she said all of this I understood why she had tried to avoid telling me, she was ashamed for not being strong enough, she felt weak, but I thought she was the strongest person I had ever seen.

Of course it gets to be too much, she was a teenage girl, and she should be allowed to have fun, and enjoy life, but she wasn't. I knew for a fact that she had not had a drink in a much longer time than any of the other kids here, which was because it weakened her attention to the bond.

As I looked into her wet eyes I couldn't stop the impulse to touch her, to comfort her. I put my arm around her and pulled her close to me. She did not hold back, and soon her sobs had calmed down enough for her to sit still, but that's not what she had in mind. She wiped her tears, stood up and whispered, "Thanks Comrade, I'll see you later today." She smiled, and it almost looked real, almost. This time I let her go.

Later that day I was pondering the outburst, why today? Why did all the Princess's problems bother her today?

That's when I heard it. The rumor was a juicy one, and you could practically see it jump from peoples mouths as soon as they saw their friends. I paid no attention, because high school drama held less interest for me than drying paint. I laughed to myself as I thought that, because it was not my thought, it was what I thought Rose would have said in this situation.

Maybe it was thinking her name that made it stand out, or maybe her name always stood out to me, but I heard it. Whispered in hushed tones, as one daring boy walked by he clearly said "yeah, did you hear 'bout that Rose?" I stopped, and listened, hoping he would continue, he did. "She's the hottest blood-whore I ever saw. I can't believe she let Jesse and Ralph though."

No. Not Roza, she would never. Especially with that Zeklos, or the Ralph kid whom I only knew about, and had never had the pleasure of teaching. This was why she was upset, it would take some awful thing to hurt Rose, but this was too far.

I knew that calling a girl a blood-whore was the most degrading thing one could be called. The term used to bother me, because many thought my mother was one. She had never let my father bite her, but she had stayed home to raise her kids, and that was enough.

I didn't know what to do, but I had to stop this. Rose had way too much to deal with, and I knew these were probably hurting Lissa to. That was what she meant about the emotions being too much, oh my poor Roza…

So…??? Did you like it? Love/hate? The green button is calling your name!!!