1

[Stay With Me]

I turned on my heel, looking in every direction; suddenly, a noise caught my attention and without a thought, I ran in search for it. I couldn't tell what the noise was, but then I heard it again and I was suddenly standing in front of a room. I don't know why, but I just understood that I had to get inside. Before I knew, it I was standing in the room, broken pieces of wood around me without memory of breaking the door down. I didn't need to scan the room; I immediately targeted a dark form and slammed into it. Usually, I didn't act as impetuously but I was almost blinded by the hate and rage I felt welling up inside me. I remember questioning what person could elicit such a gut reaction.

We landed hard against the wall, ducking in and out of each others' hits. He slammed my body, bashing my head into the wall with a loud BANG! I jumped up and threw him clear across the room into the opposite wall loudly; BANG! The noise was strange because of how loud it was; however, every blow radiated though my head.

I made a move that sent my opponent flying and I jumped on top of him to pin him into the floor, his face still covered in darkness.

"…Belikov!"

A strange echoing voice stirred from somewhere behind me and I turned.

Nothing. No one was there.

Regaining focus, I turned back to look into the face my adversary when the voice beckoned me again.

"Belikov!!"

I sat up suddenly in a haze and I looked around cautiously, but no one was there any longer. I blinked trying to clear my head. I wasn't in that strange room now, I was in my own room. Slowly I realized that it was just a dream; however, it had not been just any dream. This one was recurring. They always started the same, I would fight Strigoi and eventually I would fight one-on-one with someone. The strangest part was that I had an odd feeling that I knew who that 'someone' was, but the dream always ended before I could catch a glimpse of the face. The only difference in that dream was the loud banging.

Bang!Bang!Bang!

"Guardian Belikov! Wake up!" The echoing voice from before was now piercing my ears through the heavy wooden door.

I jumped up and pulled a sweatshirt over my head, leaving the hood on, as I walked to the door. Luckily I had been wearing pants instead of just boxer briefs due to the chill left in the air from winter.

I opened the door and looked down; Guardian Hathaway stood about a foot in front of me. Despite her size she was one of the most highly respected guardians; whatever reason she had for waking me was presumably a good one.

"We've found them! Be ready in ten minutes, we are boarding the plane for Spokane," she said walking away quickly.

I stood there momentarily stunned by the orders I had just been given, but then I realized what it was that she was telling me.

They found them.

They had found her.

I knew I should have been angry with Rose when I realized that she had gone to Spokane, but anger was none of the emotions I was feeling.

I was boarding the academy jet with the other guardians before I realized it; I carried a small bag although I had not remembered packing anything. I sat stiffly in my seat, focusing on the engines as they roared to life.

Guardian Hathaway was sitting in the row in front of me, but just as we were gearing for take-off I heard her seatbelt click off and she moved to the empty seat next to mine. She quickly fastened her belt and exhaled. I had never seen Guardian Hathaway look as nervous as she did in that moment. She closed her eyes briefly and exhaled loudly again.

"I did not know that you hated to fly," I postulated. She turned her head and eyed me.

"I'm not worried about the flight Guardian Belikov," she answered somewhat despondently. I did not know Guardian Hathaway very well, but she was not one to let her emotions through.

"I'm sure Rose is fine," I said trying to assure her. In that same moment I realized that I was trying to reassure myself as well.

Guardian Hathaway looked up at me.

"Mr. Ivashkov informed us this morning that he was able to locate them in Spokane by the means of his spirit affinity. He said that he walked into Rosemarie's dream and she was as much of assistance as she could… given the circumstances," she sat back in her seat and faced the front of the plane again.

I did not like the fact that Rose was even talking to Adrian Ivashkov, let alone having him invade her dreams. I felt slightly angry as I thought of him being around her where I couldn't watch him. Jealous even?

"Given the circumstances?" I pushed.

"Mr. Ivashkov mentioned that Rosemarie did not look well," Guardian Hathaway attempted to clarify.

"Have we identified their exact location yet?" I asked trying to temper my thoughts.

"We have narrowed it down with about a five mile radius and we are hoping that Mr. Ivashkov will be able to contact Rosemarie again if it is possible," she finished. She sounded a little more businesslike and not so ruffled. I only wished that I had felt a little better after that conversation, but it honestly made me feel worse. I had no idea if Rose was even still alive.

I looked down at my watch, and realized that we had only been in the air a few minutes. This was likely going to be the longest hour and half flight of my life.

We touched down at Seattle/Tacoma International Airport at 9:30a.m., and filed into the two separate vans we had rented; from there it was a four hour drive to Spokane and it was raining. Most of the guardian's opted to sleep in the van because we were driving during our usual sleep time. I hadn't been able to sleep on the plane and the closer we progressed towards Spokane, the more anxious I felt, so I eagerly took the driving position about half way; at least I would feel some control over our speed.

Entering into Spokane I received a call on my cell from the other van.

"Guardian Belikov, Headmistress Kirova just received a call from Christian Ozera. Fall back and follow our van." Guardian Hathaway's voice shot sudden relief through me as I slowed the van to let the other pass us. The fact that a young Moroi had made the phone call was a good sign. Then I realized that Mr. Ozera's life could have been in exchange for another. I cringed lightly as I returned my focus to the road.

We crossed the Amtrak and the Spokane River before turning into a residential neighborhood. The first van slowed and pulled over and parked, so I pulled in behind it. The guardian's piled out of the van looking around on full alert.

"There!" Alberta called pointing half way down the street. Alberta and I took off into a sprint, followed closely by a few of the other guardians and one of the nurses from the clinic. The wet ground slapped under our shoes, but the rain had finally stopped.

Mr. Ozera, Ms. Rinaldi and Mr. Castile… no Rose…

"They were feeding off Eddie… and Mason got out too, but he went back for her…" Mr. Ozera moaned as he pushed Mr. Castile off of his shoulder toward me; the boy's face was pale, but he would recover.

"Her, you mean Ms. Hathaway?" Alberta posed.

Christian cleared his throat, "Yeah, Rose was the decoy. She told Mason to get us out and to get as far away as possible …"

Alberta looked at me and then looked around.

"Well, we got as far as Mason and I could carry Eddie, but Kirova said that you were coming … so we sat here…then Mason went back for Rose," Christian said, his obvious need for blood was looming. He wavered a little.

"Which house is it?" Guardian Hathaway posed.

Christian looked behind him slightly but then closed his eyes.

"Alright, you and Ms. Rinaldi should come with me, we've brought a feeder." Alberta helped the Moroi back toward the vans.

I picked up Mr. Castile and started to follow.

"Guardian Hathaway!"

All of us turned immediately to our right to see Mr. Ashford leap off the porch of a house only a few doors down and run toward us. I realized then that this house had the most trees of any on the entire block.

Janine raced toward him, met him halfway and together they ran back into the house.

My mind was racing; Mr. Ashford hadn't said a word, they just started running. Why hadn't he mentioned Rose? I hurriedly picked up my pace toward the van.

Eddie was bigger than most of the Dhampir's his age, and I immediately understood why the Strigoi had used him as a feeder. They took down the one they believed to be the strongest. I put him down in the backseat of the first van leaning him on his side to avoid asphyxiation if he suddenly became sick. A nurse was at my side and told me that she would help him from there.

I turned quickly toward the house.

"Belikov…" I turned back, frustrated, to see Alberta struggling to hold both Mr. Ozera and Ms. Rinaldi upright. Neither one of the Moroi looked well, but Mr. Ozera looked like he was on the verge of passing out. Reluctantly, I turned back and grabbed Mr. Ozera and brought him the rest of the way to the van.

"Mr. Ozera, you need to feed," I said as I tried to sit him in the first van with one of the feeders. Christian did not respond and I tried to sit him up again.

By this time Alberta had given Ms. Rinaldi to one of the nurses and she had started to feed.

"Mr Oz-"

"Guardian Belikov!!!"

I stuck my head out of the van to see Mr. Ashford running toward me. I eyed Alberta and she nodded taking Christian's weight off of me.

"Go," she confirmed.

I turned and met up with Mr. Ashford in the middle of the street.

"Is Rose okay?" I spit out quickly.

"I don't know, she looked pretty pale … Guardian Hathaway just sent me to get you… and-"

I didn't wait for Mr. Ashford to finish; I darted in front of him and tore up the steps of the front porch. I was barely five feet inside the door when I found Guardian Hathaway; her gaze set and a look of fury on her face. I followed her stare to my left.

At first glance the girl who stood in front of me was unfamiliar. She had blood spattered clothes and large gash across her cheek; the pain she was hiding was palpable; despite this she seemed absent; her eyes almost looked hollow.

Roza…

"Hey Comrade," Rose nodded slightly toward me and her face contorted with her movement.

I was suddenly aware of why Guardian Hathaway looked the way she had when I came in. It was not a look of anger, but instead it was disbelief … even shock. My face gave me away; I felt exactly the same. My heart was breaking just looking at her; if it even was her.

She made a small noise, squinted and then closed her eyes bending further over the armchair she was leaning on.

"Rose?" Mr. Ashford asked walked over to her. "I think you need to go to the hospital or something…" Then words just started to tumble out of his mouth.

"I guess I just got caught up in the excitement … I mean, yeah we're both messed up and I saw him land a few hits, but I guess I just thought … or … I didn't want to think abou-"

Guardian Hathaway interrupted him, "Ashford, why don't I take you to the van? We should get you checked out anyway. Guardian Belikov will bring Rose out."

Awkwardly, Mr. Ashford ignored Guardian Hathaway and continued.

"Rose, you're okay right? What he did to you--"

Rose opened her eyes but she did not look directly at him for too long.

"Yeah Mase, I'm fine, promise. Like I said earlier…" She paused "… just a little tired. No big deal". Her voice was raspy and strange, I did not want to believe it was her.

Guardian Hathaway walked over to Mr. Ashford and guided him out of the room. I heard her linger a moment in the doorway, but she steadily proceeded out of the door and down the steps.

I focused my attention back toward the center of the room where Rose was, still half-standing, half-leaning, against an armchair. She looked up at me slowly and a frustrated look crossed her face and I wanted to find a way to fix it.

"Rose-"

"Dimitri … I know okay!" She stopped and her eyes squinted at the pain. "I know what I did… I know it was wrong. I know you told me to keep it to myself". She grunted lightly pulling back; she seemed like she was trying hard not to let herself get upset.

But then I saw her lean slightly to one side and instantly I ran toward her and pressed her body up against mine so that she would not fall. I did not know how to touch her. I wanted to hold her tightly, but I didn't know where she was hurting. Her face changed and she looked visibly upset.

"You've been such a good mentor. I'm letting you down. You don't need someone like me letting you down like this. I'm not strong enough. Just go!"

A few small tears escaped onto her cheek and she put her hand on my chest and pushed lightly.

What was she saying? Does she think I would just leave her here? Even if I was angry…

"Rose, stop…" She was not thinking clearly.

Stubbornly, she pushed against me again.

"I'm just not going to be a good guardian. I don't listen and .. and .. bad things happen … and-"

She leaned back toward the armchair, but started to fall. Quickly I grabbed her around the waist, stopping her just before hitting the floor. She screamed when my arms caught her, but when she suddenly became silent and I saw her eyes roll back into her head; I pulled her up and cradled her at my chest. Her head rested against my shoulder heavily.

She moaned slightly as I crossed the room with her in my arms.

She had to stop thinking about this now; I could tell it was eating away at her and making things worse.

"Rose, we can talk about those things later." We were a few feet in front of the door.

"Dim-" she breathed at me.

"Shh Roza-" I tried to soothe her.

"… I …I … I .. there's just a lot of blood…"

Blood?

I slowed and looked down. Rose's hand was covered in blood, but I could not see a wound.

Suddenly, I was not feeling any longer. She needed help. That was all I could think; I was determined.

I moved Rose slightly in my arms so that she was higher on my chest and so she could rest her head on my shoulder. I quickened my pace as I reached the bottom of the front porch.

The guardians were all waiting, some inside the vans and some standing along the curb staring, yet none of them questioned me as I strode by them and climbed into the van with Rose still clinging to me. They climbed in behind me and soon the vans were moving.

A mixture of voices and sounds filled the van, but I could only focus on the quick heartbeat mimicking my own. I leaned my head down and touched hers slightly; her breath was quick against my neck and the tears were still streaming down her face.

Softly, I put my cheek against hers and whispered into her ear.

"Вы в безопасности, моя любовь… оставаться …Roza, stay with me. Please?"

I felt her heartbeat slow and with it, her breathing. I picked up my head to look at her; her face scrunched tightly but then quickly loosened as a single tear ran down her bloodied cheek. Slowly I felt her loosen her grip on my coat and her head lowered into my chest.

"Rose…Rose" I moved her lightly, but she did not respond. A guardian I did not recognize looked back at me from the front seat, likely hearing the desperation in my voice.

I had always had to be in control of my emotions when I was around Rose. She did something to me that made me more volatile than I had been in a long time. But it was then that I was the most thankful of my control, because it took everything I had to not break down staring at her limp body, heavy in my arms.

This DPOV follows my fanfic, "No Time To Heal".

Thank you for your support, comments and constructive criticism appreciated :]

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