A/N: I'd loveeee your feedback on this one. I'm coming up with a few ideas for 'missed' proposals. But, I'm not entirely sure I like this one. I think it works in context, but please let me know =) Updates are going to be wonky, I started school on Monday, and I'm interning on Fridays, but I will update as much as I possibly can. reviews will probably help with my update speed ;)

Only 8 days until the VA movie! Can't wait you guys!

I yawned widely and stretched my arm, practically whacking Dimitri in the eye.

"Hey! Watch it!" he murmured, voice sleepy, as he caught my fist.

"Sorry..." I whispered, tucking my body close to his.

Dimitri rubbed a hand over his eyes and looked at the nightstand clock, "6:15, we'd better get up."

I groaned, "Noooooo, can't the second guard be first guard today? I don't want to leave bed."

Dimitri laughed, "Come on, Rose. If you get up now, I promise to give you a surprise at lunch time."

I perked up. A surprise? Maybe it would be the long awaited trip to Tahiti.

"Okay," I said twisting my fingers with his, "I'll get up. But this had better be a damn good surprise."

Dimitri rolled over slightly so half his body was covering mine and kissed me.

When he pulled away, I was dazed in the best possible way. I had threaded my hands in his hair, so his face was only inches from mine.

"It's a very good surprise. But you must be patient," he kissed me again, too short and too quick, before climbing out of bed.

I shamelessly watched his muscles ripple as he pulled on pants and a shirt. He and Christian were going to work on securing wards today, so he was dressed casually in jeans and a long sleeved black shirt.

Dimitri turned around, a smile on his face, "See anything good?"

"Meh," I shrugged, trying to keep a poker face, "I've seen better."

Dimitri shook his head. He definitely knew I hadn't seen better.

"Come on, get up. We can grab breakfast together," he reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me from the warm blankets.

I got dressed, grumbling the entire time.

Dimitri kissed my cheek, "You look nice."

I looked down at my plain black jeans and dark red sweater, "Thanks."

"Now come on," he held my hand and pulled me through our house and down the stairs.

We walked hand-in-hand the few feet to Lissa and Christian's house. They had decided to live just outside of Court, a decision I completely agreed with. I wasn't always welcome at Court; it depended on who was around.

I wondered if they would have to move into Court full time after Lissa had her baby.

Christian was waiting by the door when we arrived.

"Morning," Dimitri greeted him with a very manly head nod.

I stifled a snort of laughter when Christian head nodded back.

"What was that, Rose?" he asked, turning to look at me.

"Oh nothing," I waved a hand, stepping around him and into the house, "I just didn't realize Lissa married a Lehigh frat boy."

"Funny. I didn't realize you were starting a comedy act," Christian laughed and punched my shoulder.

I hit his back, "Hanging around you for three years has given me so much material. Now where's Liss? Unfortunately, we have class and traffic getting to Lehigh will be a bitch."

Christian frowned, "I don't think she's going today. She was up most of the night, vomiting in the bathroom. Probably food poisoning."

"Why? Did you cook?" I asked, teasing him to hide the fact that I knew why Lissa was vomiting. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Dimitri frown. He had his suspicious face on.

"Ha ha, add that to your opening," Christian rolled his eyes, "But seriously, take care of her today."

I softened, "Don't I always?"

Christian nodded, "Yeah, she's just been weird the past few days. I hope it's not the spirit."

"I don't think it is. But really, don't worry. You and the Comrade over here had better get going. I'll make sure Liss is okay," I pushed Dimitri's arm, trying to get him out of the house.

Dimitri raised an eyebrow at me, "Rose? Why are you pushing me out?"

I whipped my hand away from his arm, "I'm not. You two are just going to be late. Wouldn't want you to get in trouble."

Dimitri blew air through his nose, "Rose, Christian and I are leading this meeting."

I threw my hands up, "Even more of a reason to head out. Don't want to keep everyone waiting. I'll see you for lunch, right?"

Dimitri sighed, "Yes. I'll call you to see where you are and then I'll pick you up."

"Sounds like a plan. Love you," I lowered my voice, not wanting Christian to hear me.

He smiled, "I love you too. Be n guard," he squeezed my hand.

I nodded, "Always am."

He laughed and walked away with Christian. Watching him, I wished he had kissed me good-bye, but we had agreed to try and keep all displays of affection separate from our Guardian duties. It didn't stop me form sneaking the occasional kiss during one of Lissa's speeches or one of the Court parties.

Speaking of Lissa, I had better go and check on her. I took the stairs two at a time, calling out her name so she knew I was coming.

"Hey, Liss. How're you feeling?" I asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"I'm okay now. Last night was rough," she laughed, pulling a sweater over her head.

"I heard. Christian thinks you have food poisoning," I moved forward to pick up a few dirty towels.

Lissa looked embarrassed, "I know. That's what I told him it was."

I snorted a laugh, "He is aware that Moroi don't get food poisoning, right?"

"I think he just forgot. I've been kind of horrible to him the past few days,"

"Yeah, he mentioned something like that," I leaned against the edge of the dresser, watching as Lissa brushed her hair and pulled it into a ponytail, "So are you going to tell him?"

"Eventually," Lissa said, looking at me in the mirror, "I'm just…I don't know."

One look at her face told me she knew exactly how she felt. I just didn't know how she felt. I really missed our bond at certain times.

"You ready for Russian history?" Lissa asked brightly, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Liss," I groaned, "Do we have to? Dimitri can tell me anything I don't want to know. Plus what if you have to throw up again?"

Lissa waved a hand at me, "I'm fine, really. I just want to get to class."

"Fine, but I'm not making excuses for you," I grumbled, following Lissa out of the room, down the stairs and out to the car.

Lissa climbed into the passenger seat, "I don't need you to make excuses for me."

I slid into the driver's seat, happy, like always, that Lissa hated to drive.

"Will you be okay to have lunch on your own?" I asked, pulling the car out of the driveway and setting off down the road.

"Mhm, why?" Lissa asked, popping a piece of gum into her mouth.

"Because," I started, "Jerk! Move out of the way! Jesus Christ!" I laid my hand on the horn.

Lissa was laughing next to me, "And you wonder why Dimitri hates to let you drive."

I frowned, swerving the car around a white sedan that was moving way too slow, "I'm a great driver. I just happen to drive more defensively than Dimitri does."

Lissa nodded, a smile on her face, "If 'defensively' means 'like a manic that wants to get all of her passengers killed' then yes, you drive defensively."

I turned my head to face her and stuck my tongue out.

"Mature," Lissa laughed, "Anyway, tell me why I'm on my own for lunch."

"Oh, right!" I nodded, "I almost forgot. Dimitri said he was picking me up for a surprise."

Lissa let out a gasp.

I slammed my foot on the breaks, "What? Are you okay?"

She nodded, "Sorry! Yes, I'm fine!"

She looked okay to me. In fact, she was grinning like an idiot.

"What's the matter then? I thought you were having a heart attack!" I tilted my head, merging back onto the road, and flipping off several honking cars.

"It's just…Dimitri wants to take you out for a surprise," Lissa said.

"I know. I literally just said that," I shook my head, "Liss, does growing a baby make you forget things too?"

She nodded, "It does. But, hopefully not yet. I really want an A on my economics test."

I smiled to myself. Lissa was the top student in all of our classes, but she was constantly worrying about her grades. Even though I always pointed out that she already had a job and did not need to worry about her GPA.

"Anyway, Rose! Come on, are you telling me that you're not thinking what I'm thinking?" she asked, hitting my arm.

"Liss, if I were thinking what you're thinking, we wouldn't be having this conversation," I sighed, leaning on the horn again.

"Oh, well, don't you think that Dimitri could be planning on proposing?" she asked, practically bouncing in her seat.

I was the one who almost had a heart attack now.

Would he?

"No!" I exclaimed, panicking, "I wasn't thinking that! We talked that day you found me rifling through his underwear! He said he wouldn't propose until I was ready! Oh my god!"

Lissa's eyes widened. I don't think she knew how much her suspicion would affect me.

She tried to backtrack, "I mean, that's only one possibility! Maybe you're getting a pet?"

I looked at her, "A pet? Really? I don't think so."

She shrugged weakly, "Maybe you're going on a trip?"

"Oh god," I moaned, dropping my head to the steering wheel when we stopped at a red light, "I'm not ready for this."

Lissa reached out and rubbed my arm, "It's okay, Rose. Dimitri wouldn't do anything if you weren't ready."

I loved Dimitri, but I wasn't so sure about Lissa's faith in him.

Who knows what he was thinking.

I couldn't focus during Russian history. Not that that was a big surprise. I very rarely paid attention in class. Especially the Russian ones. Dimitri usually explained everything to be later, and in a much more interesting way than the ancient professor.

I tapped my pen against the notebook in front of me, nervously thinking about ways that Dimitri could possibly surprise me.

Lissa finally yanked the pen from my grasp twenty minutes later, after it had fully irritated her. I smiled apologetically at her,but she just rolled her eyes.

A text came from Dimitri around 11:30.

~Christian and I are done. Are you still with Lissa?

~yeah. on campus…Russian hist gets out in 15.

~Good. We will meet you outside.

~can I have a hint for my surprise?

~No. You'll find out soon enough

I scowled at my phone. Stupid secret keeping Dimitri.

As soon as the class ended, I grabbed Lissa's arm and practically dragged her out.

"Rose! I left my pen in there," she muttered.

"Don't care. Let's go," I pushed her forward.

We ran out of the building and right into the two of them; Dimitri caught Lissa's arms before she could smack into him.

Steadying her, he asked, "Is the building on fire?"

Lissa shook her head, "Nope. Rose just couldn't wait to see you."

I scowled when she and Christian laughed, "Ha ha. Oh, Queen Vasilisa, you're so funny."

Dimitri laughed, "It's okay, Rose. I missed you too."

I almost collapsed form the shock. Dimitri was talking about missing me in public? Where was my 'no affection or talking that could give away the already very well-known fact that we're in a relationship in public' Guardian Belikov?

I saw Lissa nudge Christian out of the corner of my eye.

"We're going to go back to Court. I have some paperwork to look through," Lissa announced, looping her arm through Christian's and grabbing the car keys from my pocket.

"So…what's my big lunch surprise?" I asked, finding my voice again and falling into step with Dimitri as we walked towards his car.

Dimitri shook his head, "Not until we get there. And stop asking questions."

I tried to bump his hip with mine as we walked, "I'm a very inquisitive person by nature. You can't just tell me to stop asking questions."

"Rose, you're only 'inquisitive' when it benefits you," he muttered, unlocking the car as we got closer.

"Not true!" I protested, "I ask questions when I need to know stuff about you or Liss!"

Dimitri snorted, before starting the car and driving off.

I bit down the many questions I wanted to ask about where we were going. Instead of talking, I tried to change the radio station, only to get my hand smacked away.

"Hey! If I can't ask questions, I'm going to at least listen to music made this century," I tried to hit one of my preset station buttons.

"Driver picks the music," Dimitri said.

"Aw come on!" I groaned, "I only said that because I was driving!"

"Well now I'm driving and once the General makes a command all of her soldiers have to follow it," he winked at me, smirking slightly when he turned to look back at the road.

I slumped in the seat. Sometimes I really hated myself.

"You know I hate you, right?" I said, frowning as Dimitri's music changed.

"I am aware," he replied, pulling the car into our driveway.

I poked my head up and looked around, "We're home. This isn't anything special."

But as I said it, a little voice in the back of my mind (it sounded a hell of a lot like Lissa) said, This is just the kind of thing a man planning a surprise proposal would do.

Dimitri stuck his head back in the car, "Are you coming?"

I hadn't realized that I was still sitting with my seat belt on, "Um, yeah. Coming."

I climbed out of the car slowly. The fact that I was walking as if I were going to my execution wasn't lost on me. I'm pretty sure normal women were excited when it looked like their boyfriends were about to propose.

Then again, my boyfriend had been brought back from the undead, so we weren't exactly normal in the conventional sense of the word.

Dimitri had left the door to the house open for me since I was lagging behind so much.

I stepped inside and stopped short, "What the hell is this?"

Our entire living room had been peppered with pictures of a Russian looking building.

Dimitri sat in the middle of it all, looking very pleased with himself.

"Are we having some kind of Russian themed party?" I asked, "Are you going to make me eat bort?"

"Borscht," he corrected me, "And no. Take a closer look."

I looked at him, but took a step closer to one of the pictures hanging over our TV.

"Really?" I breathed out once I saw the writing on the buildings.

I could head Dimitri laugh behind me, and then his hands slid around my waist, "What do you think?"

"The Corn Palace?" I laughed.

He nodded against my hair, "The Corn Palace."

I turned in his arms, "What exactly is this all about?"

"We, Rose Hathaway, are taking a vacation," Dimitri said, "Starting at the Corn Palace in South Dakota and ending in Baia to spend my birthday with my family."

"Wait? Your birthday's in November. We're going to be gone eight months?" I asked, slightly panicked. There was no way I could leave Lissa unguarded for so long. Especially now that she was pregnant. And yes, she would have other guardians, but they weren't as good as I was.

Dimitri shook his head, "We're leaving in October. I managed to wrangle a couple of weeks off for us, but I had to plan it ahead of time."

I smiled, "So we're going to spend two months completely on our own travelling the world?"

"Is that okay?" he looked worried. I leaned up and cupped his face, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

"It's the best surprise I could have ever gotten," I said honestly. Dimitri and I never got to spend that much time together completely uninterrupted.

"I'm glad," he kissed me again, harder this time.

Surprise trip around the world, and sex in the afternoon?

This was a very good day.

He may not have proposed (Thank God), but Dimitri and I were about to become world travelers.

Now to tell my hormonal, pregnant best friend that I was going to be leaving her for two months.