Thanks for the reviews:) Again I own nothing. This chapters a little longer so i hope you enjoy!

Chapter 2

I walked to my dorm in silence. They had actually believed me. All of a sudden reality hit me. Dimitri and I had talked about having to stay apart until graduation, but the seriousness of what we were doing didn't register until now. If they had seen through my lie, everything would be gone. Before I could even open my door, it snapped open and Lissa came rushing out.

"Rose!" she exclaimed. "I was so worried. I heard you ran back into the cave and then I couldn't find and you I just didn't know what to do." Through the bond I felt her emotions go crazy. I sucked some of the darkness out of her and felt it go into me. Later I would have to work out to let some of it escape.

"Calm down, I'm fine. I was at Kirova's office. They accused me of being with Dimitri." I could see the shock in her face. Through the bond I could hear Lissa thinking. She believed that I was and then she didn't. She couldn't imagine it and then she could. Finally I couldn't take it anymore. "I told them I'm not, which is the truth." That's not how I meant it to come out. I wanted to tell her how I felt, how much I loved him. Something stopped me. I think I was just so scared if I said it out loud someone besides Lissa would hear. I contemplated telling the truth, but I just couldn't. I had to talk to Dimitri about it when he woke up.

"You just had me terrified. I thought you were dead! Never do that again." She didn't say anything about Dimitri which had me worried. The bond told me she believed me, but Lissa had gotten really good at hiding her feelings. "I have to go meet with Adrian. We're working on a way to get rid of the darkness without you taking it."

"Punch something," I suggested, making her laugh. She hadn't flat out laughed in a while. I had missed it.

"Oh and I tried to heal Dimitri. Dr. Olendzki wouldn't let me. She said it would take too much energy and I had already used to much spirit." With that she walked out of the room and left me with a sinking sensation. Lissa knew that I loved him. She knew and for some reason she was letting me lie.

Three days later Dimitri woke up. It was by pure coincidence that I found out the second he did. I had been working out, trying to get rid of the darkness from Lissa. I started taking down practice dummies and before I knew it hours had passed and my hands were bloody. Honestly I could've bandaged my knuckles at the gym, but I wanted an excuse to check on Dimitri. And by some miracle he was actually conscious. Dr. Olendzki still had other patients to tend to from the attack so I got to see him alone.

He was facing the opposite wall when I walked through his door. I was kind of jealous he got his own room. I hold the world record for most times in a hospital and I never got privacy. He turned around and his eyes shone. For some reason I was still at the door. Why wasn't I by his side?

"Hey," he quietly said.

"Hi." I was paralyzed. While Dimitri was asleep I had tried to stay positive, but deep inside I was terrified I was going to lose him. And I didn't. That very thought had me stunned and my face probably looked like a surprised lemur because of that. "I got called to Kirova's and they accused us of having a relationship." The light in his eyes turned to dread and I immediately regretted me words. Dimitri doesn't usually let go of his guardian mask and I wasted a precious moment.

"What did you say?" He was worried, but not for himself. I could see it in his face that he didn't care about happened to him as long as my future wasn't affected. That killed me.

"I lied through my teeth and they bought it. I lied to Lissa too, she didn't believe me. I wanted to tell her so bad, but I needed to talk to you. Not even about her or our secret, I just needed to talk." Somehow this confession gave me the power to walk to his side.

"So you're safe?" I have never been an overly serious or emotional. I mean I've always wanted to protect Lissa and I loved my friends, but it was always in a care free way. When Mason or Eddie was hurt I'd worry, but always make some sort of joke out of it. Now with Dimitri hurt I couldn't even crack a smile. My friends have barely been able to tolerate me. And now with him obsessing over my well being when I've been doing the same with him, it just broke me.

"Yeah I am," I cried, climbing into bed next to him, "now that you are." I wanted to kiss him so bad, but I couldn't. If someone walked in I could explain sitting next to him. Kissing him would be a little harder to cover up. I suppose I could pretend I was giving him mouth to mouth, but I doubt that would be very believable. We did a short medical course before I had run away with Lissa and it didn't go very well. I got kicked out by pretending to make out with a dummy behind the instructors back. "You're turning me into mush," I laugh-sobbed. If a person can even do that. He laughed along with me and I felt complete. Later I would have to talk to Lissa and explain why I lied, but right now it was just him and me. And the IV attached to his arm.

I left Dimitri shortly after to not give anyone a reason to be suspicious. Then I went to find Lissa. She was in her room with Christian. Thankfully they were just talking. Unfortunately it was about me. I started to walk a little slower so I could hear the whole conversation. I know it's bad. My best friend saved my life and now I'm using a side effect of that to spy on her. A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.

"Why are you so worried about her? I know you want to take care of her, but she's capable of doing it herself." One thing about Christian is he won't sugar coat anything. He'd tell you what he thought, good or bad. We were a lot alike in that way well except for Lissa. As a guardian it was my job to make the horrible things less horrible for Lissa and as a friend I considered it my duty. He didn't share the same beliefs.

"I just feel like she's hiding something. I can't be sure, but if she is, I hope it isn't something that's hurting her." God bless Lissa. Every bad thing I've ever said about her (and yes I'm ashamed to admit there had been times) I take back. Me not telling her about Dimitri was killing her, something until now she had managed to hide from me. Instead of spilling my secret she was playing innocent to Christian. I was so grateful. Then again it only made me feel that much guilty. I hadn't planned on telling Christian too, but now I had to. I couldn't have Lissa lie to her love about mine. When I reached her dorm I didn't even knock, opting to stroll right in.

"Before you two try to be all secretive," I began, "I just want to let you know I heard the whole conversation.

"You said you wouldn't do that anymore," Lissa exclaimed. I usually didn't, mostly because I have no interest in viewing one of their make out sessions.

"I know I was just trying to figure out where you are." I took a deep sigh and began. "Here's the thing I don't want you to have to lie to Christian and I'm sorry I lied to you. I know you know that I love Dimitri." Both Christian and Lissa tried to say something, but I held up my hand. "I just wanted you to know that I lied because I was scared of saying it out loud. Doing that makes things real and when things become real they get broken." It was amazing how much better I felt getting that off my chest. Lissa came over with tears in her eyes while Christian just looked, for lack of a better word, dumb.

"What's a matter Sparky? Cat got your tongue?" I saw a smirk come onto his face and prepared myself for what he was going to say next.

"No, but a Russians got yours." Nice to know things are back to normal.

I nervously waited outside the Queen's door. Yeah you heard me right, I said the Queen. Last night Lissa got a call that invited her to the Royal Court. I was told to come to along with Christian. We had no idea what the summoning was about. Lissa was the first to go into the room and I figured out what was happening through the bond.

"She wants our opinion on Kirova. She wants to know if we think we need a new head master," I whispered to Christian. Though I was glad she valued our views I was kind of pissed. This is the Queen needing help from seventeen year olds because the Moroi community was so split they couldn't decide on the simple topic of a school. There was no doubt in my mind that's what was happening. There were three sides, the actually decent royals who care about what's right, the assholes that care only about themselves, and the assholes who care about nothing expect for alcohol.

"How is Lissa responding?" I knew he was curious how he should react. Christian is a little awkward in situations like this. I don't blame him. Since his parents turned Strigoi by choice everyone thinks badly of him.

"In a perfect way of course. She's not giving her exact true thoughts, but she's not saying exactly what the Queen wants to hear." Lissa really wanted to tell her to get out of the school's business. I agreed with her. Despite the fact Kirova isn't my favorite person she actually is great at her job. If she was replaced it would be by a royal that falls into one of the asshole categories. They wouldn't give recognition to anyone, but the perfect little royals. Damphirs and non-royals would be screwed.

"I have to react like that to, Rose. You're the only one of us who can speak your mind because the Queen already expects you too." I knew what he said was true, but it wasn't exactly reassuring that I was expected to be an unprofessional bitch.

My turn was next. I walked into the room and saw Queen Tatiana sitting on a chair that was almost a throne. She wore a powered blue skirt with a white blouse and a tiara. Whatever I felt about her, and let me tell you the feelings aren't of fondness, she sure did look the part of a queen.

"Rosemarie Hathaway. Pleasure to see you again." I realized I had forgotten to bow and did so. "I assume you already know why you're here?" Ah, so she did pay enough attention to me to realize I would use the bound.

"Yes your majesty and may I speak my opinion?" I replied with only a hint of resentment, half expecting her to say no.

"Of course." If I spoke with a little bitterness she spoke with a whole truck load. Frankly I wonder if she just talks to me to piss me off. I know she won't listen to what I have to say. She's just another bully, waiting for a reaction.

"I think it's a terrible idea. No offense of course." I actually didn't mean to be offensive. I dislike her with a strong passion, but I know that it must suck for people to always be shutting down your suggestions. "Royals are the reason the wards got messed up in the first place. Putting a royal in the office would just allow more things to happen. I'm not saying all royals are corrupt, but a lot are. You should know you have to deal with them every day. The government is already crashing; you want the school to too?" With that I bowed one for time and walked out. I had the feeling that if I stayed any longer I'd end up in the dungeon. I just hope I made and impact. Yeah, right

We decided to stay the night at court since no one wanted any risk of meeting Strigoi. After getting dinner and walking around the three of us said goodnight to Ryan (the poor guy who assigned to be our guardian at court) and went to our rooms. On the way there I could tell through the bond that Lissa was questioning something.

"Spit it out," I said more harshly then I wanted to. Lissa recognized that I was still angry with the Queen and let it go.

"Why didn't Dimitri come? I mean he's my guardian and your mentor." I could practically feel Christian itching to say something. Luckily he knew not to push my buttons tonight. Strangely Lissa said exactly what I expected him to. "Oh of course your lover can't forget about that." I laughed and lightly elbowed her.

"Girls," Christian muttered. I'm sure he couldn't understand why I hadn't ripped Lissa's throat out for saying what he was thinking.

"Stop complaining Sparky. I would've of killed you for saying that because you're you. And because he's needed at the Academy since we lost a lot of guardian and they- uh never mind that's it."

"What?" Lissa asked. I pretended to ignore her, but couldn't help smiling when she said, I know you hear me and it's not nice to keep secrets, through the bond.

"Tomorrow's my big chance," I said and continued to elaborate after seeing their wondering expressions. "Since so much of the field experience was affected by Mason's ghost they said I could do the exercise here to." I didn't want to admit it, but I was kind of nervous. I mean I failed a the first part of the one at school, who's to say I won't do the same this time.

"Wait so we're going to be attacked by fake Strigoi?" Lissa said, also nervous. Even though the danger wasn't real, the realization that their life would soon consist of being outside of the safe wards was.

"No, at least it's not supposed to happen. Some of the court guardians will watch me to see if I'm doing stuff like technique correctly. There shouldn't be any violence, but hey you never know." And with that cheery thought I walked into my room. I didn't want to be around when Christian and Lissa chose to share a room. I had just put on my pajamas when I heard a knock. I opened the door and there he was. My knight in shining armor, my cowboy in his duster.

"What are you doing here?" I was already breathless from him being here. It took him a minute to peel his eyes away from me too answer. I was suddenly glad I had worn my shorts and tank top.

"I'm here to judge your field experience and I thought-" I didn't give him a chance to finish. In the next second his lips were on mine and I was in heaven. We hadn't kissed at all since the night of the cabin and I couldn't get enough. I was in love and for the moment that was all that mattered.