The long awaited... Chapter 2 (mwahahaha) I have published this along with chapters 3, 4, and 5 so there is no need to worry about reading any more... I wont say anything for the next couple chapters so dont worry if I don't give the usual... "R&R" thing. I'm still here. HOPE YOU LOVE IT!!!! -Zozerz

My plane ride was long and depressing. A variety of people kept passing me to use the toilet but that wasn't the worst part. I was sitting next to one of those fat, greasy guys that you always see on TV. there was also this annoying little kid in front of me who kept complaining he smelled mustard when his father kept saying it was the bathroom.

Frustration formed deep within me. I drifted into sleep sometimes but it wasn't long enough for the entire ride. When my in-flight meal got there, I was finally happy… until the greasy guy next to me figured out he didn't order one and kept sneaking small pieces of mine. When I asked to move to the front, the flight attendant just glared at me and walked away. How pleasant.

When we finally arrived, my day got ten times better. I figured out that we landed in Court where Lissa was supposed to go to collage. She wouldn't be there now but it was a great opportunity to get someone to take me back to the Academy.

When I got off the plane, I didn't bother going through airport security again. I sneaked around the airport with my bag in hand and finally got out. Then I dialed a number on my phone that I had never dialed before.

"Little dhampir?"

"Adrian. I need you to pick me up. I'm at Court."

"You decided to come back? That's great! I'll meet you at the Café de Mozart at five." He hung up before I could say another word.

I sighed and asked a random person where the Café de Mozart was. She directed me towards a large building and told me it was behind it. She scowled when I didn't say thank you. I'm not a nice person. What can I say?

When I got there, it was only four fifteen. I didn't know what to do. Just wait there and do nothing? I don't think so.

That's when a waitress approached me. She looked very bored and enthusiastic at the same time. It was a very confusing combination. "How many?" She asked. I didn't understand what she was saying at first. How many what? But then I realized I was in America with American ways.

"Just one, thank you." She led me to a little table in the back of the restaurant. She came along again soon and asked me what I wanted.

"Just some tomato soup, please." I didn't know why I was acting so polite. Must be the nerves. When my soup got to me, it was already four thirty. I ate it quickly and ordered two of their best homemade chocolate chip cookies. I ate one before getting the check and saved the other one for Adrian. When it was five, I walked outside and stood by the doorway for a few minutes before Adrian showed up. He grabbed me and hugged me so tight and for some reason, I hugged back. He was obviously happy to see me.

"Little dhampir," he said. "It's so good to see you again!"

"I wish I could say the same to you, Adrian." That made him laugh.

"So… why are you back?"

I hesitated. "In the car, Adrian. Not now." He nodded and took my hand. I didn't pull it away because I knew he would be offended if I did. Again, why did I care if he was offended? I never cared.

When we got to his car parked right outside of the hotel I stayed at so many months ago. We both got in and he started driving. I offered him his cookie. He took it and bit into it ravenously.

"Wow, when was the last time you ate?"

"Not since this morning. Lissa keeps showering me in phone calls and she leaves messages when I don't answer. She keeps wanting me to practice spirit magic with her."

"Hm… Interesting. That's an interesting way to keep yourself busy."

There was a long silence.

"Now, tell me why you came back."

I sighed. I couldn't put this off any longer. "I came back because… I found a way to turn strigoi back to whatever they were before."

Adrian gasped. "How? When? Why?"

"I'm not going to answer one word questions."

"Rose… How?"

"With spirit magic." It sounded kind of obvious when I said it out loud. Adrian nodded as if he suddenly was having like an epiphany or something. Not that I knew what that was.

"I see now," he said with no surprise in his voice anymore. "You're right."

We were weaving through the many paths used to confuse tourists who wandered into the woods. We finally approaching the gates.

"Listen. Their not going to let you in without identification so your going to have to hide in the back seat."

I nodded, a little frustrated, but I did it anyway. Adrian flashed the Guardian at the gate his card and they let him pass. He parked in the lot to the back of the school where nobody could see it so it didn't ruin the atmosphere.

We both got out and said nothing. It was day time so mostly everyone was asleep but we saw a few students out of bed.

We were about to enter the school when I saw something that really surprised me. Two of the Guardians that I liked most were walking together and holding hands. Alberta and Stan. Wow.

"Okay, then," I said loud enough for them to hear. "This is awkward."

They both turned to me and I saw Alberta's deep anger. "Rose? What are you doing out of bed?!" But then realization crossed her face. She broke her grip with Stan and walked over to me. Before I could do anything, she gave me a gigantic hug which was the thing I was least expecting from her.

Stan just kind of stood there and waved a little bit. I winked at him. "Don't worry," I told them. "I won't tell anyone."

We then walked past them and into the school with Stan still staring at the spot where I had been standing. Dude, just get over it. The badass was back.

Adrian took me through the guest house and to his room where he was currently staying since he was renovating his old room to have a refrigerator.

"I also changed rooms," he told me, "because now Lissa doesn't know where I live. She'll find out eventually but it's nice to have some peace and quiet for now."

It made me sad Adrian and everyone was avoiding Lissa. Was it all my fault?

"No," Adrian said as if he could read my thoughts. "It's not your fault, little dhampir. She should have been more prepared to have you leave if you needed to. She knew that it was possible but she still didn't want to think that it was." Adrian seemed so much more mature than when I left many months ago. Was he still the alcoholic and cigarette smoking person that I knew and almost loved?

"Little dhampir," he began again. "Remember what you said the day before you left? That you would give me a chance after you had finished what you were going to do? You have figured out something that can change the entire world. You have basically finished what you went out to do. Please keep your promise."

"I never said the word promise," I whispered, quoting myself from many months ago. I was hoping that we wouldn't have to hit this part of the deal. I knew that there was a way to bring Dimitri back which meant that… that we could still be in love. And I was in love with him. I would always be. So why did I want to give Adrian what he wanted? "I-I'm not sure, Adrian. I said I would but now that there is a chance of getting D-him back, I just don't know anymore."

"Than just give me one night, Rose. One night to prove that I love you. If you still love him more than me after that, I won't flirt with you anymore or give you flowers or anything. I will just be your friend. Okay?"

I argued with myself for a moment. I definitely did not want to have sex with him but maybe one date wouldn't hurt…

"Fine," I whispered. "One night. Tonight."

Adrian smiled the warmest smile I had ever seen from him. "Get dressed in my bathroom. Dinner's in twenty."

I went to the bathroom at the end of the hall with my stuff and picked out the same black dress that I had worn when Dimitri and I had first… shown interest. After I had put on makeup, I walked out of the bathroom. Adrian peeked out of his room to see what I was wearing and then retreated back to change out of his khaki shorts that he had changed into. I smiled to myself and sat on the couch in his living room. I switched on the TV and put on a random show before Adrian came out wearing a tie and a sports jacket.

"Fancy," I said, sarcastically checking him out.

"You're one to talk. Are you ready to leave?"

I nodded and he took my arm and led me out of the school and then to his car where I hid in the back again and we drove all the back to the Royal Court.

When we got there, he led me to a restaurant called Fuji Mountain.

Asian food. I almost screamed in delight. I hadn't had a sushi roll in… three years? Probably more.

We sat down at a table which I was surprised to see had its own personal grill/stove/oven. As soon as we sat down, the waiter asked us what we wanted to drink. Adrian turned to me.

"Uh… One coke."

"We do not have coke. We have Japanese soda though. You want to try it?"

I shrugged.

"Two please," Adrian said. He was such a loser, it was kind of funny.

I looked at the menu for a minute before I heard a commotion outside. I stood up to see what was wrong but Adrian pushed me back down into my seat.

"It's probably nothing," he assured me. Of course, he was wrong.

At that moment, a pack of strigoi burst through the doors. Were the Courts wards broken? How? Was it humans? I didn't have a chance to answer all these questions before I burst into action, grabbing for my stake. Of course, when I changed, I took it off. I'd have to make do with something else.

I grabbed a huge knife from under the oven in front of us and sprang from my seat. On my way, I grabbed the oil for the oven and sprayed it all over the five strigoi. They laughed without humor and sprang at me.

As one lunged for my neck, I caught him by surprise and used the knife to behead him. It wasn't my style. Too medieval, but it would have to do for now. I went for another one and tried the same thing but he wouldn't be fooled. He grabbed my arm and twisted it backwards, making for an awkward position to stab him from but I did it. When he let go, I automatically went for a box of matches laying by our table. I lit one successfully on the first try and threw it at one of the strigoi in front, making him catch fire. I did the same with another one but for the last one, I just went straight at him with the knife while he was looking at his friends. I killed him quickly and threw the knife at the last remaining strigoi, piercing his heart with my perfect aim.

As soon as I had finished with all of them, I sat back down next to Adrian who was shaking fiercely and beckoned to out waiter. He came slowly, astonished, eyes wide.

I smiled and said, "We're ready to order now."

The waiter fell onto the floor, fainted and I chuckled slightly.

But with that, there had to be more to come. Strigoi didn't break into the Royal Court without backup.

I told Adrian to stay where he was or at least go back to the car and drive home. He nodded slowly and curled up into a ball and laid where he was.

There was no hesitation in my stride as I ran outside and onto the main street. There were lots of bodies lying around, all kinds. Dhampir, moroi and strigoi but I had no time to mourn. What I saw in front of me was what I had been trying to kill but in this moment, I had to save him.