Hello! :)

This is a one-shot story that I'd written a while ago but I kept changing stuff so much that I thought this piece wouldn't see the light of the day. But I've finally decide to post it as it is. Hope you like it :D

It's the most fluffiest of all the stories I've written and it's set in the VA world, nearly a year after Last Sacrifice. :D

Enjoy! :)

Rose...

Gentle breeze played with my hair when I opened the window to lean out ever so slightly, taking in my surroundings. A long, deserted road stretched ahead, slowly but steadily being devoured by the car. The fading rays of the sun shone through the pine trees and illuminated the distant mountain range.

Taking a deep breath of the cool air, fresh with the smell of pine and decaying leaves, I attempted to calm my nerves.

Why was I so nervous anyway?

I didn't know...

I couldn't understand whether the jitters wrecking havoc on my body were due to anticipation, excitement, nostalgia...or something more depressing.

"Are you okay?" came a smooth, honey-like voice from the driver's seat.

"Of course," I lied, eyes fixed on the road. "Why wouldn't I be?"

An exasperated sigh.

As always.

I smirked.

"Now that you've said your customary dialogue, why don't we try for truth?"

I played with a lock of my hair. "If you're suggesting that I dissect whatever it is that I'm feeling right now...then you've got another thing coming, baby."

I almost giggled at the word 'baby'. I hated that term of endearment with a passion but it was fun term to use to tease my man. Especially since I knew my 'baby' hated the word with a passion rivaling my own.

My boyfriend, Dimitri Belikov, could be called many things with sexy, handsome, hot, badass battle god topping the list but he certainly didn't seem to the fit the profile for 'baby'.

"Don't call me that." Dimitri ordered but his tone was playful.

If I didn't know better, I'd say he didn't have the same reservations about making this trip as I did.

Since I did know better, I could easily detect the slight tension in his shoulders, in the way his long, graceful fingers were gripping the steering wheel and in the way he had his features schooled into a mask.

Remembering that I had to reply, I said, "I recall you saying the same sentence two years ago."

Reluctantly, Dimitri's lips pulled up in a small smile. "Comrade is bad but baby is worse."

I laughed at the way he said 'baby', as if swallowing something bitter. "I'll have to remember to call you that next time we're in a meeting with Hans."

Unexpectedly, Dimitri chuckled. "Warn me beforehand so that I can skip the meeting."

I rolled my eyes. "We both know you'll never skip a meeting."

"I just might to escape the mortification of being addressed in that manner," Dimitri said dryly.

As I opened my mouth to deliver a befitting reply, I glimpsed the imposing iron gates that we were fast approaching. Swallowing, I pointed to it unnecessarily. "Show time, baby."

Dimitri didn't say anything but he removed a hand from the wheel to grip mine as he eased the car to a stop next to a guardian standing on duty in front of the gates.

The stocky guardian wasn't someone I was familiar with. But he seemed to know us, going by his broad smile.

"Nice to have you back, Guardian Belikov," the guardian nodded at Dimitri then turned to me with a smile. "And our own Guardian Hathaway, of course."

"It's nice to be back." I said with an acknowledging nod.

When the guardian retreated and opened the gates, Dimitri slowly drove the car inside, letting me take in the familiar sights.

The fading light of the sun darkened the silhouette of the gothic structures, giving off an aura of familiar menace.

As I took in the campus half wrapped in shadows, I was transported back to a different time.

A different time when Lissa and I were brought back to the campus after two years of freedom.

It had been the evening which had witnessed our return.

The aura radiating from the campus had similarly affected me then.

It had also been evening time when I'd dropped out of the Academy to search for Dimitri. Evening when I broke a promise to my best friend to fulfill a promise to the love of my life.

Shaking my head to clear the gloomy thoughts, I reminded myself of how different this situation was.

As we drove through the secondary campus, I looked around to see if anything had changed.

It hadn't.

It was just another day at St. Vladimir's Academy.

Dimitri parked the car but made no move to get out. He let me sit in silence, knowing I needed time.

After a while, he spoke. "We'll be late for the meeting, Rose."

I nodded but didn't budge.

He sighed and gently gripped my chin to turn my face towards him.

"What's really bothering you, Roza?" he asked softly.

I met his deep brown eyes which were full of concern and love.

"I don't know." I confessed quietly. "It's like...like all the memories I have of this place are coming together inside my head. Maybe because I haven't seen this place for two years. It's so confusing."

"Don't let it be," Dimitri said calmly, gently rubbing my chin with his thumb. "Sort your emotions and embrace the ones that are positive."

"And my zen master is back," I mumbled, smirking as Dimitri shook his head.

No matter how much I hated his zen crap, it had an annoying tendency to get inside my head.

I tried to block out all that memory of pain and heartbreak, choosing instead to focus on the innumerable moments in this campus that I cherished.

Meeting Lissa, late night parties with Mason and Eddie, getting into trouble with Stan, graduating with top marks and of course, all those practice sessions with Dimitri.

And the cabin..

My half closed eyes flashed open at the thought, only to be met by a pair of deep brown eyes.

Smiling, I leaned over to press a kiss to his lips. "Love you, comrade."

I didn't need to say thank you. He knew...as always.

Dimitri smiled against my lips before kissing me firmly. Just when I was started to relax into the kiss, Dimitri pulled away and got out of the car.

I barely had time to muster my indignation before my door opened from the outside.

"You really need to stop doing that," I told Dimitri when I stepped out.

"You really need to stop kissing me at inappropriate times," he shot back, closing the door and locking the car. "We'll be late for the meeting."

I rolled my eyes as I followed him across the quad. "You're boring."

Dimitri didn't stop walking. He merely turned to me and arched an eyebrow.

It was a look he'd often sported as my teacher. Strict, handsome and so sinfully sexy.

Completely irresistible...

As my boyfriend, however, there was no strictness, no mask and no hiding. Of course, I preferred that version of him. But at this very moment, here in St. Vladimir's Academy, I had to appreciate the reappearance of my mentor.

Dimitri didn't stop to analyze my reaction. He just turned and walked on, his duster bellowing behind him.

Can I just say badass?

Smiling, I followed him quickly, slamming on my own mask. Yes, we were together but we rarely ever acted like that in public.

Especially not on duty.

And definitely not in our old campus, full of students and teachers who'd recognize us instantly.

There was no one outside yet but I could bet all my money that there were people in the Cafeteria. Which was why I was thankful that Dimitri didn't take the route he'd used when he'd brought me and Lissa back. The one cutting through the cafeteria.

"No walk of shame this time?" I teased.

A half smile appeared on his face before the mask slid back. "You haven't done anything wrong recently."

"And I hadn't done anything wrong then!" I said hotly.

"It's a matter of perception," he replied, turning around the corner that led us to Kirova's office.

I shot him a dark look as he knocked on the door.

Just before opening the door, he caught hold of my hand for a brief moment.

I loved such moments; a glimpse of tenderness when he was in a tough Guardian mode.

It was only when I nodded that Dimitri opened the door.

The sight that greeted us was eerily familiar.

Kirova sat behind the desk and Alberta stood next to her.

When had I seen them like that again?

Oh, I know! Must be the gazillion times I'd ended up here in the past.

But today, something was very different.

Instead of a scowl that I was used to, Kirova's face was almost beaming.

"Guardian Belikov," Kirova stood up to shake hands with Dimitri then looked down her beak-like nose to survey me. "And Rose. My, my, you've truly grown up now."

My jaw slacked for a quick second, shocked by her demeanor before I rearranged my expression.

Smirking, I shook her hand. "I never thought you'd be pleased to see me, Kirova."

Kirova's eyes narrowed when I neglected to use her title. But she managed a thin smile.

Alberta nodded at us as we sat in front of Kirova's desk.

"Now," Kirova clasped her hands and leaned forward. "Shall we discuss the arrangements to be made for the Queen's arrival."

Resisting an urge to roll my eyes at her formality and fake tone, I went on to explain the security arrangements to be made for Lissa's upcoming visit to St. Vladimir's. Dimitri contributed occasionally but mostly, he stayed quiet, letting me handle the discussion.

Kirova finally leaned back with a satisfied expression. Maybe the fact that I hadn't yet resorted to my trademark sarcasm was giving her a false sense of security.

"You're a good guardian, Rose." She said, surprising me.

I knew she meant it; she'd pretty much said the same thing on my eighteenth birthday, when I'd handed in the papers needed to drop out of the academy.

Hard to believe she'd once wanted to expel me.

I nodded. "Good to have you back, Kirova. There's no one better to terrorize-I mean, monitor the kids."

A reluctant smile crept on her face at my deliberate slip-up. But I meant what I said. When Lazar had been sacked, the management had decided to bring back Kirova. Despite her obvious charm, she was better than Lazar by leaps and bounds.

"We'll see you later, Headmistress." Dimitri said formally before we left the room.

I was just about to make a joke about his formality when a voice calling my name interrupted me.

It was Alberta.

Despite her sandy hair having more grays than ever, she looked as tough as always.

She nodded to us. "Welcome back; Rose, Belikov."

I didn't hug her or anything. She wasn't that type. But I was glad to see her. So glad.

I grinned at her. "Thanks, Alberta."

I wasn't just saying thanks for her words. I meant it as gratitude for what she'd done for me. It was because of her that I was a Guardian. Not only had she mentored me, she was also the reason I could graduate.

The sorrow and empathy on her face when I'd returned had been genuine. She'd known about Dimitri and I when we'd been on the campus. She'd known and she hadn't sold us out.

Alberta's answering smile told me that she knew what exactly I was thanking her for. Dimitri looked between us in confusion. Though it wasn't visible on his face, it was clear in his eyes.

I shook my head slightly, trying to tell him that he needn't be worried.

In reply, Dimitri arched an eyebrow, making it clear that he wasn't going to let it go and that I'd have to fess up when we were alone.

I groaned, "Dimitri..."

"Not happening." He told me firmly.

A small cough brought us out of our mostly non-verbal communication.

Alberta tapped her foot, looking amused.

"Excuse us, Guardian Petrov." Dimitri apologized.

"It's not a problem, Belikov." Alberta said, smiling. "It was nice seeing you both again."

Saying that, she turned and marched off.

I laughed. "She's got style, eh comrade?"

"Rose," he started, no doubt wanting to know had happened just now.

"Can we please go to the Cafeteria?" I pleaded, changing the topic. "I'm starving."

He smiled, knowing very well what I was doing. But he went with it anyway. "Let's go to the Guardian lounge."

I kissed his cheek quickly, before he could protest or reprimand me for 'public displays'. "Lead the way. Talking to Kirova has exhausted me."

"You did good," Dimitri said smoothly, leading me towards the Dhampir dorms.

I looked around as we walked, not surprised to see the dorms deserted. The classes had just commenced.

"I've always wanted to go to the Guardian lounge," I told Dimitri.

"Why do I find it hard to believe that you've not seen the place?" Dimitri asked rhetorically.

"Of course I've seen the place!" I said indignantly. "I doubt there's any place that I haven't seen in this campus."

Dimitri shook his head in exasperation.

"What I meant was, I want to enter it legally, with a perfect authority to do so." I confessed. "And now, I have it."

Dimitri smiled, looking beyond me. "Brace yourself."

I turned to see what Dimitri had seen.

"Stan?"

"Hathaway," he greeted with a nod. "Belikov. Good to see you."

I scoffed. "Now, why don't I believe that?"

Stan and I had parted on almost good terms at the graduation. He'd started to treat me decently after the Spokane incident but had turned on me during the field experience. But I knew Stan respected me. I respected him too but...there was a small part of me that couldn't ever forgive him for holding me back that day in the caves.

It was irrational. If anything, I should be thanking him for saving my life but I could never see it that way. Where Dimitri was concerned, I tended to be anything but rational.

I stayed quiet while Dimitri talked to Stan, just adding titbits here and there.

After a while, I had to stop the catch up session.

"Look, I'd love to stay and talk but I'm damn hungry." I told Stan bluntly.

Surprisingly, he smiled. "It's nice to see you, Rose."

Nodding to Dimitri, he left in same manner as Alberta.

Dimitri grinned suddenly. "Close your mouth, Roza." he said huskily, pushing my jaw up with his finger.

I glared at him. "Hands to yourself, mister. We're in public."

The last part was his typical dialogue. He'd tell me that every time I attempted to sneak a tiny kiss when we were in 'public'.

Dimitri apparently was amused by my comment. The corners of his full lips turned up in a small smile that I loved; the kind that made me feel warm all over.

Without another word, he pressed a small kiss to my forehead and swept ahead of me to open the door of the lounge.

"Don't tell me..." I whispered as I took in the great Guardian lounge. It was...empty.

Dimitri smirked as he turned to look at me.

"It's a pity that no one is around to see the return of the notorious rebel Rose Hathaway." he teased.

I glared. "It's a pity that no one is around to see how that the famous-"

"-infamous." Dimitri interjected.

"famous-" I repeated. "-rebel has transformed into an extraordinary guardian. Of course, the extraordinary part isn't a surprise. But it'd be nice to show off the little red button on my collar."

"You're not even wearing your jacket." Dimitri noted in amusement.

I scowled. "I'm holding it, Belikov. Have you lost your touch?"

Dimitri rolled his eyes as he led me further into the lounge.

"But seriously, why isn't anyone around?" I asked as I followed him.

Dimitri chuckled. "Classes have started, Rose. I'm sure majority of the Guardians are on duty now. Those who aren't must be resting."

"Just my luck," I grumbled but perked when I caught sight of the food counter. "Hey, they have donuts!"

Shaking his head, Dimitri put some on a plate and handed it to me before picking up a bowl of salad.

Just as we sat down to eat, the door open and Alberta strode in.

"I was hoping to see you both here," she said as she walked towards us. "Here. Take the keys to your rooms."

Dimitri took the two keys she held out.

"It's your old room, Belikov." she told him. "I was able to get a room next to his for you, Rose. I know you're probably used to sleeping-I mean-staying in the same room." Poor Alberta looked so uncomfortable that I resisted the urge to laugh. "I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not, Guardian Petrov." Dimitri told her politely. "Thank you."

She nodded and left the room as quickly as she'd walked in.

"Talk about awkward," I muttered.

Dimitri shot me a look.

I grinned. "Does she even know that we have separate rooms back at the Court?"

Dimitri shot me another one of those looks that clearly said he didn't appreciate me talking about our personal life in public.

Even if the said public is the empty lounge.

I chuckled and leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek, deliberately lingering. "You're adorable, comrade."

Dimitri neither looked up from his salad bowl nor did he did reply. But a small smile lurked in the corner of those delicious lips. It was then that I realized Alberta had actually done me a favor.

It was finally time to give Dimitri the little surprise that I'd been planning for some time now.

Tonight was the night.

As we ate, some guardians including Celeste and Emil entered the lounge. Rightfully surprised, they came to sit with us to catch up.

I'd only ever interacted with these guardians in the novice-guardian paradigm so it was a little weird to talk to them as if we were friends. Equals.

We spent the entire day going over plans for Lissa's arrival two days later. As much as we both wanted to, Dimitri and I didn't get a chance to visit the gym for some practice. It was all plan, plan and plan. If anyone ever took that word again, I was sure I'd stab them with my stake.

In between the planning, Dimitri and I managed to sneak in a few good minutes. Like a short visit to the small, unused room adjoining the Guardian meeting room that Dimitri had taken me to during field experience when I'd 'failed' to defend Christian.

Dimitri even made two cups of doubled hot chocolate.

Not to mention the small make-out session in that room.

All part of 'reminiscing'.

We were also made to talk in front of the senior novice class. Dimitri told a small tale about the raid we'd participated in that almost went wrong.

When it was my turn, I had a lot of fun talking about my days in the Academy and telling them about my long, drawn out arguments with Stan, who incidentally was supervising the class. At his kind reminder that I was supposed to talk about one of my encounters with Strigoi, I launched into a lighthearted story about the attack on the Queen when we were in Scotland. It wasn't anything special; just two strigoi had foolishly attacked Christian, not knowing that the entire Royal Guard was close by. I deliberately slipped in jokes and made the novices laugh. The topic was serious enough. I didn't need to make it more grim. But I made sure that the novices knew there were lessons to be inferred from the attack.

After the talk, the novices literally ambushed me and Dimitri, asking us a whole lot of questions; everything from our personal life to the number of molnijas we currently had.

"That was exhausting," I noted as we walked to the staff wing where our rooms were located.

"You did great," Dimitri told me, smiling.

"So did you," I returned. "You managed to handle so many personal questions without blushing once."

Dimitri rolled his eyes. "I don't blush, Rose."

Of course he did not. Any hint of embarrassment would be cleverly hidden behind that damned mask of his. But I couldn't resist teasing him.

"Sure," I replied glibly when we reached our rooms. "Good night then."

Without a backward glance, I unlocked my door and slipped in. While closing the door, I caught a glimpse of Dimitri looking at my almost closed door with confusion and shock.

Poor comrade! My nonchalant dismissal had truly shocked him.

Suppressing a giggle that I didn't know I was capable of, I walked deeper into the room to find my small suitcase sitting on the bed, as expected.

With a flourish, I opened the suitcase and carelessly riffled through the clothes I'd thrown in.

"Aha!" I grinned with glee when I found what I was looking for.

I squeezed in a quick phone call to Lissa in the ten minutes I'd allocated to myself. At the end of those ten minutes, I quietly slipped out of my room and walked over to Dimitri's.

I knocked on his door, hoping no one would suddenly appear in the hallway.

I knocked again, conveying my impatience. If everything was as I hoped, then Dimitri would be answering his door any second now.

As expected, Dimitri opened the door.

Dressed in pajama bottoms.

His hair was free, framing his face with a few strands lying on his cheek.

His brown eyes were wide and open, reflecting his shock as he looked at me.

Resisting the urge to rub my hands and cackle madly at how well my plan was going, I watched him as he tried to make sense of what was happening.

"Do I need to use the 'let me in, it's Lissa' excuse this time?" I asked, grinning at him.

Getting over his shock, Dimitri grinned wolfishly before stepping aside.

Shooting him a pleased look, I stepped into the room.

I'd waited ten minutes to give him time to slip into bed and he had done so, going the way the bed covers were thrown back.

Most of my plan had hinged on whether or not Dimitri would follow me into my room after my causal dismissal. But I knew him and he knew me. So, he'd known that I had a reason behind that nonchalant farewell and had let me be, figuring I'd either tell him the reason the next day or that I'd slip into his room later. Either way, he'd acted exactly as I'd suspected and hoped.

"What's wrong, Roza?" he teased, eying me from top to bottom.

Smiling slyly, I walked over to him slowly.

When I was just a foot away from him, I asked: "I hope I don't need to ask if you find me pretty this time?"

Shaking his head slightly, he said huskily, "You are beautiful."

I felt warm all over with the way he was looking at me. Tingles of electricity shot through my veins as I stepped even closer. "Yeah?"

"You are so beautiful that it hurts me sometimes."

Those words. Those sincere, honest words that I'd only heard a handful of times threatened to undo me right this second.

Of course, this reaction was what I'd hoped to elicit when I'd purchased the dress I was wearing; a replica of the black dress I'd worn on the night of the lust charm. It wasn't an exact copy; there were many tiny differences but that didn't matter.

Not with the way he was looking at me.

"Come here," he whispered, pulling me to him and pressing his lips against mine. I melted against him as he deepened the kiss, determined to consume me. Just like that night, his hands slid down to the edge of my dress before he started pushing it up slowly.

"Dimitri," I groaned, wanting to him to hurry up.

He chuckled breathlessly against my lips. "Patience, Roza."

Breathing heavily, I pulled away a little to look into his smoldering brown eyes. "I remember you getting rid of the dress pretty fast that night."

He hummed against my neck. "There will be a few changes from that night, Roza."

"Like?" I managed to ask between kisses.

He pulled the dress over my head and tossed it aside.

"No interruptions this time." He growled.

And then he took me to the bed.

AN: Yes, the last line is from the first book. I had to read both the first book and bits of Spirit Bound to write this. It's a little saucy, definitely more than what I usually write but it was needed here :P

So, pointless fluff. Maybe even a part two with a visit to the cabin? I'll leave it to you all to decide ;)

Review and let me know if you liked it :D

Sorry for any/all mistakes.