AN: The VA Series is owned by Richelle Mead. Only Original places and characters are mine.


Chapter One


I stood in the sunlight breathing steadily again. A shiver ran down my spine making my skin pimple up like goose flesh. The second week of May was nice and warm but the sun did nothing to stop the cold that radiated from the dreams that woke me. For the world outside, it was the middle of the day, for the Academy it was the middle of the night.

Once more I was awakened by the nightmares in a cold sweat. I had only been back a few days and yet my dreams had been echoing the time that I spent away in Russia. My whole body shivered again involuntarily at the thought of Russia. I took a deep breath and looked around the field at the trees surrounding the campus. No one was awake. The occasional guardian on patrol but they were easily avoided. I needed to sneak back into my room and attempt to get some semblance of sleep before morning. Tomorrow was my first day back in classes since I left in on my birthday back in March.

As I slowly crept back into the novice dorm I heard a woman call my name. I froze, knowing I was caught, and turned. There stood Alberta. Even though she hid it well I could still see it creep out behind her eyes, the sympathy. I didn't want that from anyone. Especially now, especially knowing that he was on his way back here for me.

"I see you are having trouble sleeping, Miss. Hathaway. Is this something that you need to see Dr. Olendzki for?" She addressed me so formally because she was on patrol and I knew it. There was a certain respect that she held for me now.

"No need for doctors guardian Petrov, just getting some air. I was heading back to my room right now." I responded.

She nodded at me "Good. We have practice in the morning, I suggest you get as much rest as possible. I need to make sure that you are ready for the end of school trials."

I nodded back to her and turned back towards the novice building. When I walked back in the guardian at the desk remained with their back to me, I knew this was the work of Alberta. If they did not see me, they could not get me in trouble. I smiled to myself. I walked quickly up to my room and locked the door. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to sleep but I laid in bed anyway. I busied my mind with thoughts of Lissa and Christian. What was I going to do about them?

Soon enough I was slamming my hand down on my alarm. I sighed and didn't feel quite rested. I got up and dressed quickly. I barely remembered the last thoughts I had about my best friend and her current relationship problems. I only remember that I thought it was a good idea. I hope that some time today it will come back to me. I finished tying my hair up and sprinted down outside the novice building.

On my way to the gym I noticed that the it was still fairly light outside. Summer was going to be here soon. I sprinted to the gym where I began stretching. I had beat Alberta here. I rarely did that when Dimitri was the one training me. I stepped inside and it was like a I ran full force into a wall. I took a deep breath and steadied myself. I felt my heart beat slightly faster as I looked around the all too familiar large room.

Ever since I knew I was going to be training back in this room I had been trying to mentally prepare myself for this moment. I still wasn't ready for the force of the pain that hit me as I stood here now. I was glad that I had set my alarm early and beat Alberta here. I did not want her to witness me this way. I don't know what she would see on my face, possibly nothing at all, however maybe she would see all the pain that was tearing me apart on the inside.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and walked to the middle of the floor and started stretching on the mats. Tucking away the feelings that I was experiencing right now and trying to avoid the ones that were trying to break the surface. It was hard to avoid the memories. Remembering the way that he pinned me on these mats before, the way that I kissed him, simply to show him that he was not always in control like he wanted everyone to believe. Every memory was like a stab in my heart.

Alberta walked in and saw me. Without a word she stretched next to me. After a few more minutes of that she just looked at me.

"Rose, maybe today we should work on the track, then after classes we can work on more technique." She spoke straight faced to me, hiding well that she was just giving me what I needed.

I nodded and headed out the side door to the track, where yet again, more memories hit me. I took off running on the track that was cooling down from a day in the sun. As I ran it felt like I was running past all the pain, trying to outrun it all. Alberta just stood there with the stop watch clocking it all.

I ran breathless up to Alberta and started to head back into the gym for a cool down stretch. She handed me a towel to wipe my sweat.

"You made good time out there Miss. Hathaway. A seven mile run in a little under half an hour is unusual. I suspect that your muscles may be unhappy about it tomorrow though." She almost smiled at me.

"Yeah, well, Guardian Petrov, I don't give my muscles a choice in the matter." I spoke breathlessly as I began stretching on the mats again.

"When we meet after your classes Miss. Hathaway, I want you to show me what you have learned in your time here at the Academy, also in your extra sessions. Then we will move on from there and see what else there is that I can teach you." She was careful, I noticed, not to say his name.

I nodded as I was schooling my breathing and stretching my muscles. I felt them burning a little and I knew that she was right, they would be sore for tomorrow mornings practice. I looked at the time and stood up straight.

"See you after class Guardian Petrov." I called to Alberta as I walked away.

I headed to the novice dorm. I reached out through the bond to feel for Lissa to see if she was awake yet. She was. She was excited. She was happy to have me back. I smiled a little. It was nice to be back where I could protect her. I put up the block again and continued on to the dorm badly in need of a shower when I saw Eddie coming towards me. He smiled at me. It never seemed like his smile reached his eyes since Spokane but he was getting help now and a little more of the old Eddie was coming back slowly. He was changed forever though, just like the rest of us. I smiled inside thinking of Mia living at Court with her father and how drastically she had changed for the better.

"Hey, Rose. Coming back from practice with Alberta?" he asked me causally.

"Yeah, I need to shower before breakfast. Is that where you are headed now?" I was suddenly curious as where Eddie was headed this early. No one was really up at this time.

"Oh, um, yeah. I will see you there ok?" He looked uncomfortable and started to walk away. I watched him go.

"Yeah, see ya, Eddie." I said a little quietly.

After my shower I dressed for the day and headed down for breakfast. I brushed my hair and set my hair brush on the desk and looked at the envelope that held the card from Dimitri. I picked up the silver stake that I thought ended his life and given him release. Sighing I slid it into my desk. I know I didn't need it on campus. I would feel safer with it on me, if I was found with it before graduation though, the consequences could get me in trouble.

I walked into the breakfast area and quickly found Lissa beaming as brightly as a the sun had when I woke up. I gave her the best smile I could. She was sitting with Eddie and I was reminded about my encounter with him this morning. I went and grabbed a couple doughnuts from the breakfast line then sat across from Lissa.

"Hey guys. How's it going?" I asked as I started shoving a bite of doughnut into my mouth.

"How did your first training go with Guardian Petrov?" Lissa asked.

Eddie just looked at her and me and I smiled "It went well, Liss. Why are you so excited this morning?" I asked her.

She just smiled at me "Oh, Rose, I'm just so happy to have you back!"

It was true. I felt it. She was thrilled. Eddie was looking around the room and suddenly his smile faltered just a little. When Lissa looked over at him though he recovered it. When I looked in the direction he was looking I saw who he had seen. I felt my heart squeeze for Lissa. I imagine that it may be the same way that Eddie felt when he saw him too.

Christian was standing at the door and avoided looking in Lissa's direction. He headed over to the feeders immediately. Lissa followed my gaze and I felt the sudden change in her mood. It was powerful. It was nothing like the wall of emotions I had hit this morning yet it was still painful. She couldn't hide it but she tried. Her beautiful eyes gave her away. She looked away quickly and looked at me staring at her.

"So, will you come to my room after your practice today?" She asked me, not as upbeat as she was just moments ago. I felt the pain, the guilt, I knew what she was going through. I smiled at her.

"Yeah, Liss, of course! You know I will." No matter what I was going through she needed me too. We needed one another.

"I better get going. I needed to talk to the teacher before class starts. I will see you at lunch ok, Rose? It is so good to have you back at school." She smiled at me and the sincerity of her words filled me.

Eddie stood up too "I'll walk you to class, Lissa. I'll see you in class, Rose." he called as they walked away.

As soon as they were out of the building I walked over to the feeding room and waited for Christian. It wasn't long before he emerged. He smiled only slightly when he saw me.

"Rose." He greeted me.

"Christian." We walked over to the line and he reached for a yogurt. He turned to me.

"What did you need Rose?" He looked curious, not mad.

"I am not sure. I wanted to know how things were going. How are things?" I asked not wanting to get directly into things right away. I know that he would reject anything I jumped into right away.

"Just fine. Things are going well. I have gone back to being ignored by practically everyone. Not everyone though." He grinned a little.

"I see. Well I have to run. I will see you around." I waved at him as I started to turn.

As I was walking out I saw Jesse walking in. I had heard that he was pretty messed up in the head after what had happened. After what Lissa had done to him then after the sound beating that I had given him I wasn't sure how he was doing. I knew that physically he was fine. Lissa had healed him. I remembered how I had wanted to kill him and the rest of the wanna be bad asses in the Mână group.

I turned away from Jesse as the next thoughts hit me. The memories from the cabin that followed the feelings of anger and hate, the ones that Dimitri had taken from me with our love.

I walked out the doors not really paying too much attention to the person walking in. I walked right into Ralf. He stood there for a minute gaining his footing then he looked at me and realized who had run into him. I glared at him.

"Watch where you're going Rose." He grinned at me.

"You need to watch where I'm going Ralf, otherwise I might end up walking right over you." I bit off.

"So where were you, Rose? Why did you run away this time?" He asked snidely.

This was going to happen all day. I was prepared to ignore it all. Just as I was prepared to ignore it from him. Of all people why would I even think about answering him. Word was going to get around the school soon enough about how many Strigoi I killed though. They could not account for all of the killings, some of them were not mine. Some were to be accounted to the dhampirs that helped me in Novosibirsk. They were still trying to figure out how many kills to credit me with and when they do, I'm sure news of the molnija ceremony will be all over campus.

I am not sure what look Ralf may have seen on my face as memories passed though my mind. I looked him in the eyes and very low and quite menacingly said "You don't want to screw with me Ralf, do you?"

He back up a little and as soon as he was out of arms reach of me felt a little more confident then spoke to me again.

"It doesn't matter, you couldn't touch me Hathaway. You know if you do you will never have a chance at anything. I heard that if you end up touching another Moroi your hero status won't matter to anyone, they would lock you up in Lontano with Dashkov. No one would ever find you." He smirked at me not even realizing his mistake.

I took a few steps closer to Ralf leaned in a little and whispered so low that he had to strain to hear me "They would never know, if they never found you. They may just think you ran away because you went crazy, maybe because of the dealings that you have with Mână. You better watch yourself and what you say Ralf."

Standing up straight and smiling as sweetly as possible I looked him in the eyes "Bye, Ralf."

I walked away leaving him standing there with his mouth gaping, not exactly sure if I had just threatened him or not.