~OMG! I freaking love you guys! I woke up to like a freaking million notifications of new reviews,follower,and favorites. Like WoW. :) Okay so here's Chap. 1 really hope you guys like it. And yes there will be Sydrian.~

DISCLAIMER:I don't own these wonderful books or characters...I wish I did. Well really...all I want is Adrian. But don't we all? Lol

-Sydney's POV-

Chapter One

Rose frowned.

I COULDN'T BREATHE.

Jill gasped, "What's happening?"

I sighed, "Just read,"

There was a hand covering my mouth and another shaking my shoulder, startling me out of a heavy sleep.

"Which again is much like now," I muttered. Adrian smiled at me.

"Maybe we can all get some sleep after this," He said quietly.

"Yeah," Jill agreed, nodding.

"But I want to read this!" Rose protested. Dimitri laughed.

"Roza, we may have already been up when we were brought here, but almost everyone else was asleep," Dimitri kissed her temple. She relaxed against him and smiled.

"Fine, all you lazy people can sleep after this chapter," Before anyone could say anything else she continued reading.

A thousand frantic thoughts dashed through my mind in the space of a single heartbeat. It was happening.

"What was happening?" Jill asked.

"Oh so many things," I said.

My worst nightmare was coming true.

They're here! They've come for me!

"Who?" Jill asked.

"Jailbait, we aren't playing 20 questions. Calm down and listen," Adrian said, smiling.

Jill blushed and looked down.

My eyes blinked, staring wildly around the room until my father's face came into focus. I stilled my thrashing, thoroughly confused. He let go and stepped back to regard me coldly.

"Your dad sounds like an ass," Rose stated.

I stayed silent. I agreed, but I didn't know how to answer that. He was my dad after all.

"I'm sorry," She said, assuming I was offended. I shook my head.

I sat up in the bed, my heart still pounding.

"Dad?"

"Sydney. You wouldn't wake up,"

Naturally, that was his only apology for scaring me to death.

"Like I said, he's an ass," Rose said.

"Roza," Dimitri chastised her.

I smiled, "No, she's right. It's just that he is well, my dad," I shrugged.

Rose smiled at me then looked back to Dimitri, "See, I know what I'm talking about,"

He rolled his eyes.

"You need to get dressed and make yourself presentable," he continued. "Quickly and quietly. Meet me downstairs in the study."

I felt my eyes widen but didn't hesitate with a response. There was only one acceptable answer. "Yes, sir. Of course."

"Alchemists are pretty strict, huh," Rose looked at me.

"You have no idea," I mumbled and Adrian looked down at me and gave me a small sad smile. Oh how I wanted to kiss those lips. A sparkle in his eyes told me he shared my thoughts.

"I'll go wake your sister." He turned for the door, and I leapt out of bed.

"Zoe?" I exclaimed. "What do you need her for?"

"Shh," He chastised. "Hurry up and get ready. And remember-be quiet. Don't wake your mother."

"Why doesn't he want to wake your mom?" Jill asked. "I mean I get that it's the middle of the night and all but," She trailed off.

I sighed, "She doesn't really like the Alchemist." That was an understatement.

"You miss her don't you?" She asked. I nodded. "I know the feeling,"

"Jailbait," Adrian said sadly the same time I said,"Jill,"

"It's okay. Rose," She looked to Rose and she got the hint.

He shut the door without another word, leaving me staring. The panic that had only just subsided began to surge within me again. What did he need Zoe for? A late-night wake-up meant Alchemist business, and she had nothing to do with that.

"She does now," I mumbled looking down. Adrian looked down at me.

"What was that?" He asked. I shook my head.

Rose frowned again. Technically, neither did I anymore, not since I'd been put on indefinite suspension for bad behavior this summer. What if that's what this was about? What if I was finally being taken to a re-education center

I shivered. Rose was looking at me suspiciously, "What's a re-education center?"

"I'm sure it will be explained," I said. She didn't like that answer and glared. I ignored her.

and Zoe was replacing me?

For a moment, the world swam around me, and I caught hold of my bed to steady myself.

"Huh. I didn't know the world could swim. Did you?" Adrian looked to Eddie, who was grinning as if he was holding back laughter. That did it. Adrian and Eddie burst out laughing and my face burned with embarrassment as the others joined in. The only person not laughing was Guardian Hathaway. I was thankful for that.

"It doesn't," I said, "It floats,"

Everyone stopped laughing and just kind of looked at me. Adrian smirked and leaned forward to kiss my forehead. Then stopped and sighed.

"I'm thirsty," He said and stood up. "Care to join me for a drink, Sage?"

I almost bolted to the kitchen, but instead just stood and followed him. The second the door closed behind me his lips were on mine. I sighed in relief and my arms snaked behind his neck, pulling him closer. I became lost him again. When he pulled back I stepped forward, keeping the connection. He chuckled and stepped away from me completely. I pouted and he smirked as he walked over to the fridge.

"I can't believe you are wearing your AYE shirt. I almost ran up and kissed you in that moment," He grabbed a can of regular pop.

"I wish you did," I said truthfully. I hated that he didn't, couldn't. He handed me a can of diet pop. He sighed and grabbed my free hand and kissed it.

"Why don't we just tell them? We have nothing to worry about. They are our friends. Rose is already suspecting something," He smiled at that. I thought about his words for moment. I cracked open the soda and sipped at it. He watched me was he brought his own can to is sweet but sexy lips.

I almost choked on the drink as I laughed. His eyebrows raised and he smirked, making his lips look even more inviting.

"Okay, we will tell them." He grinned.

"Good, because you have no idea how many times I've wanted to kiss you. Or just touch you,"

I smiled, "I think I do."

"However," He said. I frowned. "I want to read these books first," He smirked.

"What?!"

He walked back towards the door laughing. I followed him out and sat back down on the couch. I knocked back the rest of my drink then set the can down on the table. I crossed my arms over my chest as he sat down next to me.

Jill started laughing next to me and I glared at her. She knew. And of course she was on his side. Adrian was still smirking and Rose was looking right at me as she turned everything around in her head.

"Rose, dear, now that Sydney and Adrian have returned may you continue?" Abe asked and Rose nodded.

"Certainly," She gave me a mischievous smile.

Re-education centers. They were the stuff of nightmares for young Alchemists like me, mysterious places where those who grew too close to vampires were dragged off to learn the errors of their ways. What exactly went on there was a secret, one I never wanted to find out. I was pretty sure "re-education" was a nice way of saying "brainwashing."

I shivered and shared a meaningful look with Adrian. He gave a small nod that I was pretty sure no one else noticed. Everyone else just looked disgusted. Abe seemed to approve.

I'd only ever seen one person who had come back, and honestly, he'd seemed like half a person after that. There'd been an almost zombielike quality to him, and I didn't even want to think about what they might have done to make him that way.

Rose sighed as she continued onto the next paragraph, probably glad t be away from that topic. Everyone had gone silent. Queen Lissa looked like she wanted to say something but Rose stared reading before she could.

My father's urging to hurry up echoed back through my mind, and I tried to shake off my fears. Remembering his other warning, I also made sure I moved silently. My mother was a light sleeper. Normally, wouldn't matter if she caught us going off on Alchemist errands, but lately, she hadn't been feeling so kindly toward her husband's (and daughter's) employers.

"I'm not too happy with them either Adrian whispered in my ear. I nodded.

Ever since angry Alchemist had deposited me on my parents' doorstep last month, this household had held all the warmth of a prison camp.

"Ugh. I hate prison," Rose said and Dimitri rubbed her back. "One place colder than Siberia," She joked and Dimitri laughed and rolled his eyes.

"Does it normally take you this long to read a book, Rosemarie?" Guardian Hathaway asked.

"Nope," Rose answered, "Much longer,"

We all laughed and Christian spoke up again, "What are you talking about? I'm surprised you even know how to read," Lissa lightly hit him on the shoulder while the rest of us laughed harder.

"Shut up, Sparky," Rose growled. He glared, but stayed silent.

Terrible arguments had gone down between my parents, and my sister Zoe and I often found ourselves tiptoeing around.

Zoe.

Why does he need Zoe?

The question burned through me as I scurried to get ready. I knew what "presentable" meant. Throwing on jeans and a T-shirt was out of the question. Instead, I tugged on gray slacks

Next to me Adrian smirked for whatever reason. I looked at him questioningly and he just shook his head. I turned to Jill. She didn't even make eye contact.

and a crisp, white button-down shirt. A darker, charcoal gray cardigan went over it, which I cinched neatly at my waist with a black belt.

"Boring," Rose and Lissa commented. I rolled my eyes.

"Don't worry. I think it's sexy," Adrian whispered in my ear so low only I heard. I blushed so bad and looked down.

"What did you say?" Rose asked Adrian and he just smirked. Lissa smiled and gave Adrian a knowing look. She had heard him. Damn Moroi hearing.

A small gold cross-the one I always wore around my neck-was the only ornamentation I ever bothered with.

My hair was a slightly bigger problem.

"Still is," Rose and I said together. I smiled and she grinned.

"Great minds think alike." She winked.

Even after only two hours of sleep, it was already going in every direction. I smoothed it down as best I could and then coated it with a thick layer of hair spray in the hopes that it would get me through whatever was to come. A light dusting of powder was the only makeup I put on.

"Boring." Rose and Lissa commented. Again.

I had no time for anything more.

The entire process took me all of six minutes,

"Really? It takes me an hour just to deal with my hair," Jill grumbled. Lissa nodded.

"I getcha there sister," Lissa smiled. Jill beamed at her use of the word "sister."

Rose scoffed, "You guys all worry about you hair too much,"

"Pssh. If anyone worries about their hair too much it's Adrian," Eddie said.

The whole room burst out laughing as Adrian mournfully touched his hair. Even Janine cracked a smile. It took a few moments for Rose to collect herself and continue.

which might have been a new record for me. I sprinted down the stairs in perfect silence, careful, again, to avoid waking my mother. The living room was dark, but light spilled out past the not-quite-shut door of my father's study. Taking that as an invitation, I pushed the door open and slipped inside. A hushed conversation stopped at my entrance. My father eyed me from head to toe and showed his approval at my appearance in the way he knew best: by withholding criticism.

"Ass," Rose and Adrian muttered.

"You know, Rose," Guardian Hathaway said, "I have been letting it go, but you really need to watch your language,"

"Sorry. Can't see it, so can't watch it," She shrugged at her mother. I smirked and Janine rolled her eyes. Dimitri whispered something in her ear and Rose giggled. Janine's expression softened and she watched her daughter with a sort of pride in her eyes.

~~Okay I know that the chapter isn't finished, but I wanted to update and this is all I have time for at the moment, and I didn't want you guys to have to wait to long for me to update. I will try and get the rest up soon. I promise. Thank you guys so much for all the love. ~~Koneko-chan