Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy or the characters :(
No had been her first thought when Alberta sat her down and told her they were sure Dimitri was dead. She didn't register anything else she was told as her heart sank, her stomach overturning itself making her feel sick. She briefly recalled telling Alberta that she was going to stay with Lissa. She barely remembered talking to Lissa and having her promise to cover for her.
She didn't know how long it took her before she found herself at his doorstep, picking the lock to his small apartment. The next thing she remembered was standing in the middle of his bedroom, staring at the empty bed, the covers still messy from where he'd left them that morning. Walking slowly to the chest of drawers she opened each one of them, pulling a t-shirt from the second drawer and a hoodie from the bottom one. The brunette stripped out of her jeans, t-shirt and bra before pulling on the borrowed clothes. She crawled into the bed and pulled his pillow to her stomach the tears starting to fall.
She didn't know how long she laid there drifting in and out of consciousness, so when the bed dipped beside her she assumed it was a dream. Deep brown eyes with a curious look in them gazed into hers; the words were out before she could stop them. "Hold me." Strong arms wrapped around her, soft lips pressed against her forehead, her face buried into a hard chest. Warmth spread through her as if she finally felt whole again, she couldn't remember the last time she felt that way. More tears fell as she snuggled further into what she was sure was a dream.
When she finally awoke the arms were gone again and the feeling of completion gone with them. Her heart broke further as she got up from the bed, her hunger getting the better of her; she stumbled a few steps but barely made it to the kitchenette before collapsing into a heap on the floor, her tears getting the better of her. Surprise shot through her as arms wrapped themselves around her and she was lifted from the floor. "What a gift to come home to; Rose Hathaway in one of my jumpers, wrapped up in my sheets. What would your mother say?" a voice breathed into her ear before a soft kiss was placed behind it. Once he had her in his arms he couldn't bring himself to let her go again. The normally so strong and snarky brunette was broken in his arms; he had seen her like this before and unlike last time he was going to do more about it this time.
He held her for hours until she calmed enough to register who was holding her; the confused look she was giving him didn't surprise him in the slightest, to her she was being held by a ghost; to him, he was more alive than ever before.
"Are you really here?" Her voice was uncertain as she cuddled closer to his body.
"I really am Roza, I was bitten but managed to kill the Strigoi and somehow made my way into the wards before I collapsed. The teachers and guardians that were renewing the wards found me and brought me back to the clinic. A blood transfusion later and I was pretty much as good as new. Alberta was going to tell you but she couldn't find you." Dimitri told her before bring her into an earth shattering kiss, holding her tight to his body refusing to let her go.
He would never leave her again. Not now, not ever.