Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Vampire Academy except my love and admiration for Richelle Mead.

Note: This is an idea for a story that I've toyed with for awhile, and I'm glad I finally had the chance to put it together. I took it from what I interpreted to be subtext that people may or may not have picked up on in the series—but I'll leave that up to the point of view of the reader lol. I'd like to know if I should keep going or leave this as a one-shot. Any reviews would be helpful, thanks!

Chapter One

Lissa

"Lissa come on, do we really have to do this right now?"

Rose always dug her heels when it came to buckling down for finals. Actually as far as I can remember, she had always dug her heels when buckling down for school, period. Well—with the exception of her combat training of course.

"Yes we do Rose—don't fight me on this. Your education is important." I watched her roll her eyes at me, but I wasn't having it. "It is! I don't want you falling behind."

"That's because you're the responsible one, and I'm the wreckless one."

Not able to help myself, I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. Just get your stuff and get over here. We have a lot of material to get through so the sooner we start the better."

"The anticipation is killing me," she dryly replied.

"Oh Rose…"

She chuckled at my disapproving tone as she plopped down next to me on my bed. We opened our books and began leafing through them, trying to figure out what subject to tackle first. "Ok, let's see what we need to know for History…"

"That's easy. Don't repeat it. Next?"

I gave her the look—the scolding, motherly, "You're being impossible" look. "Do you even care about passing at all?"

Her expression was suddenly seriousness. She was in Guardian mode. "What I care about is keeping you alive."

I flashed her a small smile. "Rose, you have been keeping me alive. We've been on the run for what—almost two years now? And I'm still here. That's because of you. Don't you know you're the one person in the world I feel safest with?"

I watched her gaze drop as I said those words. When she met my eyes again the corner of her mouth curled up a bit and she smiled. "That really means a lot Liss," she told me as she placed her hand on top of mine. "Thank you."

I squeezed her hand in return. "You're welcome. Please don't worry so much, Ok? I know that wherever I am with you I'm safe. Now," I said motioning her attention back to our books. "Will you get some studying done with me?"

Her lips faltered flat, clearly annoyed at the turn the conversation took. "Pretty please?" I begged.

"Oh alright," she sighed. "Let's get this overwith."

I grinned at her triumphantly, basking in the glory of my victory in the continuing of Rose's higher education. "Come on Hathaway. Chapter One."

I felt someone shaking me while calling my name to wake up. Immediately I opened my eyes and abruptly shot up in bed, grasping at my sheets out of fear and panic. "Rose?!"

"No, Lissa it's me." Christian said.

The ache in my chest dulled when I registered that it was him, but I still grappled with the overwhelming longing inside of me for my best friend. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to make sure you actually go to class today."

"Class?" I asked, feeling completely bewildered.

"Yes, you know those 45-minute snooze-fest lectures we're forced to attend here on a daily basis?" he smirked. Usually I found Christian's sarcastic sense of humor to be a turn on, but not today. Not for what felt like ages if I was honest with myself, but from what I knew was about week since…

Despair clenched my heart so hard that I had to clasp my hand to my chest in order to catch my breath. Christian was at my side immediately, putting his arms around me. "Liss—Lissa? Are you alright?"

I finally caught my breath when I answered him. "I don't want to go to class. Not today Christian."

"Lissa it's been three days." He stroked my hair as he spoke. "It isn't like you to be out for so long."

"I just…I need more time. None of it really matters anymore anyway. You said so yourself that high school is just a bullshit formality we all have to endure until we're old enough to choose our own lives."

Christian's eyebrows went up. "Wow, you quoting me to me about my disdain for our so-called higher education—and actually agreeing with my point of view? That's a little scary Liss. I know that's not how you really feel," he chuckled softly.

"I don't know how I feel about anything anymore…" I told him, my voice barely audible.

Concern was written all over his face. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't bring myself to care about anything. All I wanted to do was disappear. This time, I couldn't even really blame my depression on the effects of Spirit. I hadn't even used my magic at all this week. Not even with Adrian, who had tried multiple times—and failed—to get me to resume our practice sessions.

The pain swelling within my heart and soul cut so much deeper that anyone could possibly understand. It was all powerful; all consuming. Without her here I wasn't sure I'd have the will or desire to move forward with my life.

"Christian," I whispered as I turned to face him once more. "I'm sorry, I just…I can't do it today. It's too much."

He frowned, but not so much in disappointment as apposed to sheer and genuine concern. "Ok. I'll come back later with any homework you might have." Leaning forward he gently kissed my lips, then made his way out the door.

Adrian had somehow managed to figure out where Rose was after she left the Academy to find Dimitri. When he thought he had a solid lead on her whereabouts he confronted Alberta, the head of the Guardian Council at our school, and she sent out about a dozen Guardians to Russia to try and find her. When they came back they had reported the unthinkable.

Rose is missing. We weren't able to find her. We're sorry, Princess Dragomir.

I wrapped my arms around myself and curled up in a ball, tears bursting from my eyes as I attempted to close them shut. "Rose…" I whimpered breathlessly. "Please come back. I need you. I miss you." I wiped the tears that were rapidly coming down my face. "Why did you leave me all alone?"

I couldn't stop my tears from flowing, or the knot in my chest from continually tightening its firm grip on me. All I could do was allow my despair to consume me, just as it had been, until I finally drifted off to sleep.

-End of Chapter 1-