This is my first Vampire Academy fan fic. It's been about 8 months since I've read one of the novels, so if I make some ridiculous mistake, feel free to point it out. Thanks for giving this one a go. Disclaimer: I own nothing; Richelle Mead is the genius behind all Vampire Academy related writings.

Chapter 1 - Have Your Cake and Eat it Too

I rolled over, hiding my eyes as the setting sun filtered into the room from the half closed drapes. As usual, I was all alone in the big bed, but it bothered me more today. The man who should be lying next to me was off with another woman. That that woman happened to be my best friend, didn't really lessen the sting of it. Wherever Lissa went, Dimitri was close at hand. I'd known it was going to be like this, so why was I having such a hard time accepting reality? But I already knew the answer to that. I'd had a taste of normal and had happily exchanged it for this…farce of a life. I'd had a man completely devoted to me and me alone and I gave him up.

I sighed softly as I forced myself out of bed. I had less than an hour to make myself presentable before I was expected at Lissa's side for guard duty. Now wasn't the time to focus on past regrets. Not like there was anything to be done about it, after all. Adrian was out of my life for good. He'd made that abundantly clear. Adrian was my past…that's what I'd keep telling myself, anyway.

A quick once over in the mirror showed a battle hardened girl. I'd, also, known that would happen, but so soon? I was quickly turning into my mother. She'd been lovely, once upon a time, but a Dhampir's life was a hard life. I smoothed my hands down the grey fabric of my shirt, tucking it into my black slacks before tossing the matching blazer on. Standard issue guardian garb.

Lissa was seated on the white chaise frowning at the report in her perfectly manicured hands. She was so engrossed in the details that she didn't even note my arrival, but Dimitri did. His eyes followed me as I scoped out the room. I glanced at him, a small smile on my lips.

"You're late," he chastised, but his eyes glittered happily.

I shrugged. "You'd think you'd be used to that by now, Belikov." Lissa glanced between us looking cute in her irritation. I wished I could still feel her emotions. Guarding her was a hundred times harder now that we were no longer bound.

"What's up?" I asked taking the seat to her left.

"Jill."

One word. And it was enough. Lissa hadn't warmed up to her sister even though Jill was a wonderful kid. She just seemed to rub Lissa the wrong way. "What's she done this time?"

"What hasn't she done? The child is a nuisance. But she's not going to be my problem much longer, thankfully." She rose gracefully and flung the paper at me. More queenly every day, I noted to myself. My eyes raced over the words, my heart beating overtime.

"Lissa, this is serious."

"I know it is, Rose. That's why I'm sending her away."

"She needs more protection than a different zip code. This is the second attack on her life. You know she's the only thing keeping you on the throne. Of course your enemies are going to act against her. She's an easier target."

The anger that filled her eyes caught me off guard. "What? Do you want to be her guardian or something. Because if you do, I could arrange that, Rose."

Dimitri stepped forward. "That's not what Rose was suggesting, Lissa."

"Queen Dragomir," she corrected curtly.

He nodded. "Of course. "Queen Dragomir, she was simply noting the need to send guardians with Jill. Surely you agree with that assessment?"

Lissa was usually a very rational person, but Jill brought out the worst in her. She drummed her nails against the counter that she was leaning against, staring intently at me. It was almost as if Dimitri wasn't even in the room. "I'm sending her to a mortal school in California. How many guards do you think she'll need?"

Dimitri sat next to me, our bodies touching from knees to shoulders. Instantly, I felt calmer. I'd still like to thump Lissa on the head a time or two, though. "They would need to be young so that they could blend in," Dimitri offered.

Lissa nodded. "Agreed. And it would be really conspicuous if we sent more than a couple." She stood rigid, her hands smoothing over her white summer dress. "Draw up a list of names and I will discuss Jill's options further with her parents." She looked pointedly at Dimitri. "You are excused." She turned away to give us some semblance of privacy to say our good mornings/goodbyes.

Dimitri held me so gently. The eyes boring into mine were filled with so much love. When I was with him, I couldn't understand how I could doubt that I'd made the right decision, but as I spent more time away from him than together, those feelings of complete certainty were fleeting. He tipped my chin up, his mouth barely grazing mine. "One more night, Roza." I nodded. We would have two glorious days to ourselves while the alternate guardians looked after Lissa and Christian and I planned on making the most of them. "Until then, love." His mouth worked sensuously against mine and only sheer willpower kept me from making a spectacle of us. I wanted nothing more than to press every inch of my body against his, but I kept my wits about me and let it remain a simple farewell kiss.

"Love you," I whispered as he pulled away reluctantly.

"I'm sorry. I realize you had plans, but, as you pointed out earlier, this is serious and it trumps your night full of passion, Rose," Lissa added a little too sanctimoniously, if you asked me.

I tried to keep my face blank, but the anger that was always so close to the surface these days was hard to keep in check. I understood the need for the dinner and even our presence there, but my best friend should also understand why I was disappointed that my brief vacation had been ruined. How had we become this? Her ascension to the throne was taking a toll on our friendship. Tatiana had hinted that this might happen, had to happen, really, but I'd been naive enough to believe that what Lissa and I had was unbreakable.

Christian moved to the side of the room looking uncomfortable. Things weren't perfect between them either. Sometimes, I thought she was trying to sabotage my relationship with Dimitri because her's was on the verge of falling apart.

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts away. "When do we leave?"

She smiled that smile that lit up entire rooms and made people happy to obey orders. "Now. There's much to deal with at the palace before Jill and her family arrive. Dimitri and the others are already downstairs waiting." She took my arm and ushered me out the door, with Christian following behind, almost forgotten. "And, you know that you and Dimitri will still have lots of alone time as Christian and I will have our palace guards by our side," she added as though she was still trying to convince me to be a good little guardian and bow to her every whim - which, in this case, meant foregoing my two days off and being happy about it.

I smiled in return because that's what she expected. Like she was doing me some kind of favor, or something. "Who all will be at this meeting?" I asked, my voice soft with uncertainty. Adrian still lived at Court and I wasn't really looking forward to running into him.

She leaned in to me. "I don't think you'll have to worry about him attending, Rose." I glanced at her in surprise.

"What, can you read my mind now?" I'd stopped walking and Christian brushed past me continuing his way to the waiting cars. She really needed to spend some time working on her own relationship.

"No, but the only thing Rose Hathaway seems to be frightened of is her ex-boyfriend." She got us moving again. "Trust me, Rose, you won't have to worry about running into him…Unless you plan on spending a large portion of your time in a bar, that is."

By the time we got to the car, my mind was racing. On one hand, I didn't want to see the anger in those emerald eyes but, on the other hand, I was desperate to make things right, whatever that meant. I think they call that kind of thinking "having your cake and eating it too," but what's the point of having a cake if you couldn't eat it? Dammit, all I wanted was to make things right between us. I missed my friend and I was worried about his means of self medication.

For all intents and purposes, we were off duty. You'd think that was a good thing, except that it meant that Lissa got to play human Barbie doll with me. She had people doing my hair, nails, and makeup as she rifled through a rack of dresses, holding one up periodically for closer inspection. Not once did she ask my opinion, though, it didn't really matter because I couldn't care less.

"Try this one. I think green is such a flattering color on you."

She chose a simple forest green wrap dress. A green very much like Adrian's eyes, I noticed. Surely, that was completely accidental.

Like a good little soldier, I followed her order and was pleasantly surprised by just how amazing the dress looked on me. The dress made my curvy figure look smokin' and the color really was perfect.

"Here." She tossed a pair of gold heels over the top of the screen. "Put these on."

"Hey!" I ducked just enough to avoid the golden weapons hurtling at my head.

"Oh, quit your bitching and get your pretty little self out here."

When I came out from behind the dressing screen, Lissa clapped her hands together gleefully. "I was right! You look incredible." She pulled me in for a quick hug.

"Not that I'm complaining," I said as I took in my reflection in the mirror across the room, " but why are you going to so much trouble to make me look good? I'm just a guard, Lissa. No one cares what I'm wearing."

She ducked her head looking very guilty. "Look, I'm sorry I've been so…irritable lately. I just wanted to make it up to you. So, after the dinner, I've arranged something special for you and Dimitri."

Oh, now that was something I could get on board with. "You wouldn't happen to have some sexy lingerie that might match this dress, in that case?" I grinned.

"But of course, silly." She marched me back to the dressing screen and pulled several bags out from under a shelf which had all manner of accessories piled up on it and pushed them toward me. "These, you don't have to model for me," she snickered before moving past me to sit in the makeup chair I'd been held prisoner in for the better part of two hours.

Have you ever noticed that being perfectly happy always results in something bad? I mean, there's really nowhere to go but down, right? Well, tonight was no different. Yeah, I'd enjoyed watching Dimitri's reaction when Lissa and I entered the dining room and was thrilled to see Eddie and Jill again, but that only lasted mere minutes.

I'd barely taken my seat to the right of Lissa when Adrian sauntered through the door looking like a rumpled version of a GQ model.

Please take a moment to tell me what you think or offer some suggestions to make it better. Thanks, again, for taking the time to read this story.