AN: hey guys, this is my first fanfic. i hope you like set about 90 pages into the book where they are checking into the hotel and this is my version of what happened after.


Sydney checked us in under fake names, and the sleepy desk clerk didn't ask any questions. We walked down a hall that wasn't dirty exactly but also wasn't anything a royal would have gone near. A cleaning cart leaned against one wall, as though someone had given up and abandoned it. Sydney suddenly came to a halt in front of a room and handed us a key. I realized she was heading off to a different room.

"We're not all staying together?" I asked.

"Hey, if you guys get caught, I don't want to be anywhere near you," she said, with a smile. I had a feeling she also didn't want in the same room as 'evil creatures of the night.'

"I'll still be nearby, though. We'll talk in the morning."

This made me realize something else. I eyed Dimitri. "we're sharing a room?"

Sydney shrugged." All the better to defend yourselves."

She left us in that abrupt way of hers, and Dimitri and glanced at each other briefly before heading into the hotel room. Like the rest of the motel, it wasn't fancy, but it would do. The carpet was worn but intact, and I appreciated the weak attempt at decorating with a very bad painting of some pears. A small window looked sad. There was one bed

Dimitri walked in, immediately taking in his surroundings. Even after turning back from being strigoi for several weeks Dimitri never lost his dhampir senses, the large part of our brain that's always saying, protect, serve and fight. I care about Adrian very much, but even that couldn't stop me from admiring Dimitri, we were so alike that it would be easy to be with him. Unfortunately the universe had other ideas, and Dimitri didn't want anything to do with me.

"You can take the first shower. I'll make a bed on the couch." He said, tiredly. I almost forgot that this had to have been a draining day for him. Car chases and prison break outs tend to wear a person out. Even if that person was Dimitri.

"Okay, but I'll sleep on the couch" I said. Dimitri was far too big to fit on the little sofa in the room.

The warm water was heaven on my tired muscles. After spending a week in a prison cell with showers less than 5 minutes, I was glad to wash off the dirt and sweat that I had collected during the day without watching eyes and a timer over my head.

Walking out of the bathroom, i find Dimitri reading. He was sitting in the only chair in the was a straight backed wooden chair, but he seemed to regard it as the most comfortable thing in the world.

"You should get some rest, I'm sure tomorrow will be a long day" I say gently. He looks like he wants to say something to this, but he obviously just lets it go.

"I will wake you at 8 in the morning. We have a lot to discuss" he replies.

"Hell yes we do. No one has told me anything all day" I grumble, as I try to make myself comfortable on the couch.

Only now does it occur to me that me and Dimitri haven't really fought since leaving, and the picture and Dimitri fighting for me when the royal guard came for me, popped into my head. That memory stayed with me as I drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be long day.

I was getting good at predicting a spirit dream now, so when I felt the telltale signs of one of Adrians spirit dreams I thought I would be fully prepared. What I was not expecting was the way Adrian looked, bloodshot eyes with big red rub marks under them and the complete tormented state he was in. I had only been gone a day and he already looked a mess.

"What happened, is Lissa okay?" I asked, I already knew she was okay through the bond, but I couldn't help but worry.

"Of course little dhampir, everyone is fine." Adrian replies. With a tight lipped smile that reminded me too much of my mother.

"What aren't you telling me?" I ask in my stop-the-bull-shit voice.

"It's just the thought that you're so far away, I have no idea if you're okay. I would have no clue if you got hurt." There was something he wasn't telling me, and I wasn't just going to let it go.

"Adrian, that's not the whole story is it?" I say.

I could tell he was debating whether to tell me or not, but obviously whatever was on his mind was important enough.

"I can't stand the thought of you and Belikov out there on your own." He says in a long rush.

I could understand why he is worried. I mean he spent months at St. Vlads watching me chase after Dimitri.

"What happened with Dimitri, well, its old news. Trust me, nothing is going to happen there anytime soon." I hated to admit how hard it was for me to say that.

"Rose, you are amazing. I don't know why I doubted you." he says while coming over to me and sweetly kissing my lips.

"Well I know I am pretty amazing." I say cheekily.

"Rose, Rose what ever will I do with you." he replies in an exasperated voice. "I really do have to go, but I will see you soon."

As he said that everything began to slowly fade around me. I couldn't say that I will ever really get used to that. I then returned to sweet, peaceful blackness.

As I awoke the next morning, thoughts of my dream visit with Adrian came back to me. I could feel the small smile creeping up on my face.

"What are you smiling about?" came the stone cold voice, making me jump slightly.

"Nothing, just a good dream. And good morning to you sunshine." I say in a bored tone.

"You should be more on guard" said Dimitri. Telling me he obviously didn't miss my jump when he spoke earlier.

"Whatever, Dimitri. I just want to go get breakfast. Can Sydney come as well?" I say figuring we would be going to the sad little diner I saw on the way here.

"No, she cannot." He says shortly.

"Fine" I leave it at that so he knows that I'm angry with him.

The diner food wasn't too bad; everything reminded me a lot of the hotel. Very worn but still functional. They had coffee and pancakes so I was fine with eating there. It made me sad to think that I couldn't enjoy my old favorite foods, such as brownies and pepperoni pizza anymore. After what happened with the old Dimitri in St. Petersburg, I just couldn't look at those things the same way.

Dimitri seemed to notice my change in eating habits, but didn't say anything. I think any reminder of the way he was before me and Lissa changed him back was painful for him.

In an effort to avoid the elephant in the room, I decided I'd better get some answers.

"So Dimitri, what's the plan?"

"We sit tight and wait for your name to be cleared."

I was waiting for the punch line, but when Dimitri returned to eating his bacon and eggs, I had to conclude there was none.