**** This is primarily in Dimitris point of view :) ********

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.

Smash!

A sly smile tugged at my lips as I stared at the smashed reminants on the floor against the far wall.

Oh how I hated that infernal clock, its constant reminder of time passing, of life moving foreward without a care.

I hated it.

I hated the knowledge that Im going on with life, carrying on as though nothing had ever happened. But it did, I lost the love of my life, the only thing that had ever really mattered, my heart, my soul, my reason for living.

How does one move foreward when half of that one is missng, apparently presumed dead by most people now. Its an impossible task, I cant do it. I cant face another day, another minute, another second without her.

Where did she go? What happened that day? So many questions that I needed answers to... But only one was at the forefront of my mind at the moment...

Where are you my Roza!?

I slammed my fist down on my desk, scattering papers and spilling the forgotten coffee, thats probably ice cold by now anyway.

"...Dimitri..."

I look up in surprise at the soft feminine voice, its been literally months since Ive last heard it. Her petite frame shadowing my doorway, her long platinum blonde hair framing her face, falling partly over her features. Her jade green eyes standing out against her pale skin, the old determined look long since faded. She looks tired and worn out.

I rise from my chair and We just stand there for a few minutes, neither of us knowing what to say.

Finally I cleared my throat. "Vasilisa, what are you doing here?"

Its a simple question, but her eyes instantly drop to the floor at my feet, her eyebrows furrow together and I hear the quiet hitch of a sob escape her lips. When she looks back up at me I see the tears fill her eyes and then slip over the edge, trailing down her cheek silently. The pain in her eyes is like a dagger to my heart, reminding me of my own reflection in the mirror this morning.

I barely recognise myself anymore... I can only believe she feels the same.

"Dimitri... I can still feel her... I know shes still out there... Somewhere. I just know it but Nobody will listen to me, theyve all given up on her. I thought... I thought maybe you hadnt..." she broke off, her eyes darting from mine to the desk beside me. I heard the intake of breath as her eyes fell on the picture sitting beside my computer.

She pursed her lips as she stared at the smiling, happy face of Roza, The last picture taken of her before she disappeard from our lives.

Lissa took a slow, unsteady step foreward, her eyes never leaving the photo as she whispered, "We have to find her... I know shes still out there"

A beep from my computer catches both of our attention, I turn back to it and click the email notification thats lit up in bright read, an urgent flag beside it.

Its titled, 'Belikov. IMPORTANT.'

I click on the email and silently read through it, my hand trembles slightly as one word pops out at me above the rest... Rosemarie Hathaway.

Dear Guardian Belikov.

I have been watching you for the last year and a half, I know about your relationship with Rosemarie Hathaway and I also know that you have spent almost as long trying to search for her since her disappearance, I know that You are one of the few who have not given up.

I am emailing to inform you that I may have information on her whereabouts.

Yes thats correct, I believe she is alive.

I request that we meet in person, I will be in Baia, Russia on buisness for the next week and wish for you to join me.

Yours

A. Mazur.

"I knew it..." Lissa breathed beside my shoulder, her voice barely audible.

My heart was pounding in my chest so hard it was painful. I had to put my hands over my face and take deep breathes.

Mazur...Mazur... The name was vaguely familiar, Ive heard it somewhere before...

I shook my head, After a year, a whole year of nothing, no leads, no information... And now we have someone who knows where she is... Or where she could be, its almost too good to be true.

Lissa whips out her cellphone, dialing a number and striding out the door.

Im still stuck in my seat, my eyes turn down towards the picture. My Rozas face smiling at me as though she knows we have a clue, that she can tell we havent given up on her.

My mind unwillingly replays that day, almost an entire year ago when she disappeared.

**********flashback attack**************

We were running, sprinting for our lives out of the caves. Having rescued all of the moroi and dhampirs that had been taken during the attack we had just been given the order to retreat.

My heart was hammering in my chest as I ran side by side with Roza, I could hear our footfalls against the cold harsh ground along with the other guardians ahead of us.

I heard her gasp, a sound of relief rather than shock as the dimming light of the caves entrance came into view just around the corner. I couldnt help but smile as I felt the sweet taste of freedom, we had made it, we were so, so close to freedom.

And then a cold sweaty hand grabbed my shoulder yanking me back.

I let out a yell as I was spun around, stumbling to keep my balance. How had I been so stupid, I had let my guard down before we were definitely safe! What a fool!

The ice cold hand releases my arm only to take hold of my neck, the strigoi kicks the back of my knees forcing me into a kneeling position on the ground. Hes so close to me that I can feel the rumble of a chuckle through his chest.

"Let him go!" her voice is strong and steady, full of fury and anger. I look up just in time to see Rose flying towards us, how did she get so fast? It all happens in a blur.

One second the strigoi has me by the neck, the next second Im on my feet and spinning to see Roza pushing him up against the wall, one hand on his throat and the other holding her stake against his chest.

She looks like a battle angel, I honestly half expected to see wings sprout from her back. She was incredible, I could see the anger and the strength as though it radiated off of her.

The strigoi whispered something to her, his eyes darting to me and then back to her as A wickedly evil grin crossed his face. Roza growled something back to him, too quiet for me to hear before she plunged the stake deep down into his heart.

The smile never left his face as he crumpled to the ground, dead.

Roza stood where she was, standing directly over him with her eyes closed, clutching her stake against her chest.

When she opened her eyes I expected to see relief and happiness in her face but instead I saw anger, determination and something else flicker in her usually warm brown eyes.

She took off running past me towards the entrance, lightly pulling my arm as she passed.

She didnt say a word as we ran back to the wards.

Once we were back at the academy I lost track of her as we entered the clinic, which was crowded with students as well as staff needing to be checked out. I passed room after room holding injured people looking for Roza, moving out of the way of the nurses and Dr Olendzki as they hurried from person to person, but I couldnt find her.

I didnt think much of it, she was probably just helping out and finding her friends...

How wrong I was.

Once I was checked out and given the all clear from the nurses, only having bruises and scrapes, I made my way to the novice dorms. Nobody would think anything of a mentor going to check on his student there, and I really needed to see her.

Only, when I reached her room the door was open but it was Lissa, Christian and Eddie who were inside.

Lissa was sitting on the bed with Christian sitting beside her, his arm slung over her shoulder as her face was buried in his shoulder.

I stopped with my fist raised to knock when I heard Lissas broken voice sob, "Where would she go? Why would she leave like this? Why now?"

My breathing stopped. I swear my heart stopped as well.

"No..." I didnt realise I had spoken out loud untill everyones eyes whipped up to stare at me. "Rose is gone?"

Lissa didnt answer she just broke into hysterical sobs, as though hearing it from someone else had opened the flood gates. Christian shot me a look as if to say 'what the hell did you say that for' before pulling Lissa closer to him.

Eddie came over to me, motioning for us to go out as he closed the door behind us.

"Roses stuff is gone, we've looked for her everywhere...Shes just gone." Eddie spoke calmly but I could see the worry and the fear in his eyes and his facial expressions. I knew he cared for Rose like a sister, especially after Mason and Spokane.

"She cant be gone, she cant have left the academy... She wouldnt, not after the attack we just had...not after...NO, I refuse to believe she left of her own free will." I growled, clenching and unclenching my fists. She wouldnt do this to us... To me. Not after our time in the cabin...not after the things we said to each other. She said she loved me, I love her... She wouldnt do this.

But if she did leave...then why? Or who would force her to leave?

The academy was in an uproar when it got around that she was gone. Headmistress Kirova even sent out a search party, and as the days went on she even informed the royal court.

But no one knew where she went or why.

She had just disappeared.

********end flashback************

And so Ive spent the last year researching and doing everything in my power to find her because if anyone should be able to, it should be me.

Lissa strode back into the room, that lost look of hope and determination was back and burning in her jade green eyes. "The jets booked, we are going to Russia. Now."