Disclaimer: Richelle Mead owns everything but the storyline and any new characters.

AN: Thanks for all the positive feedback. It really means a lot.

As the darkness takes me in its velvet blanket, welcoming me, the last thing I hear is Jackie frantically calling Dr. Grimshaw.

What the hell is going on?

Janine POV

I tossed my body over in the bed again, still not being able to sleep. I felt groggy but for some reason I couldn't stop thinking about him.

Well that's just great isn't it? You're up before the crack of dusk thinking about your daughter's father while another man is in your bed sleeping like a baby. Maybe because he is a baby.

I turn my head to the side and stare at the beautiful creature laying next to me. He's a dhampir with curly, dark brown hair and long lashes that framed a gorgeous pair of closed grey eyes. He had a muscular build that she didn't mind staring at, that she had stared at several times over the years. His name was Gary, short for Gareth, and he's smart and sweet.

He's also young enough to be in college. Does that even matter to you? That you're creeping on baby sheep before they even leave that manger? He's Dimitri's age for God's sake. How can you be interested in him? You two weren't even born in the same decade.

As much as I hated to admit it, my inner voice was right. Gary was only a year older than Dimitri and sometimes he acted like it, not that I minded much. He made my life interesting and fun, something I hadn't let it be for a very long time. He was my charge's shadow guard and I'd known him since he was 19.

We've been friends for years and he's flirted with me just as long, but it was only recently that I started thinking of him as more than a child passing time while he waited for love with someone in his own generation.

But after everything that happened with the strigoi attack at St. Vladimir's and everything that happened because of it, and now with Rose still recovering, it didn't feel right to just leave, not when Rose and I are finally getting to know each other.

So, as soon as she'd fled Court because what had come to be know as "The Ozera Incident", I'd sent word to Francis that I would no longer be able to guard him, informing him that I would not be attending him on his eccentric trip to the Appalachian Mountains or any other trips to come. After all, it's not like I'd ever needed the money. I'd only ever really become a guardian because it's what my mother had wished of me any I'd honored that wish dutifully.

Instead of a response in the form of an email or letter, Gary appeared at my door about three weeks later. He said that he only kept working for Francis because I'd been there and if I wasn't going to be there, neither would he.

Gary has been living in my apartment for about a month now. I'm not sure if it's very appropriate given our age difference or the fact that we've only been seeing each other for a few weeks. But, since we were employed together, I've technically lived about 10 feet away from Gary for almost six years now and I'm happy to have him. And the last few weeks have been great.

When I'm not with Rose, or teaching an all moroi basic defence class in the middle of court, I'm with Gary.

We usually spend most of our time in my apartment, mostly because I've asked him too. Court has a very 'conversational' environment and I'm not ready to have an entire population disapprove of my romantic choices. We've gone out a few times to simple places like a few hole-in-the-wall restaurants and some of Court's smaller parks.

While I work, Gary interns at one of Court's veterinarian shops as a sort of learn-on-the-job assistant to the doctor's personal assistant. It wouldn't seem like much to most, but it's heading him in the direction he wants to go in and I'm happy for him.

I watch as Gary yawns in his sleep and reaches his arm over me, unconsciously resting his hand on the small of my back.

I smiled.

He may not be who I thought I would be with at my age, if I was with anyone at all, but does it really matter? We're both adults who've known each other for years and we make each other happy. Isn't that's what's really important? That we're happy?

Before I could answer my own thoughts, my phone lit up on the nightstand beside me and started vibrating, identifying that someone was calling me.

Who would be calling me at 7: 30 in the evening? It's not even really dark outside?

At first, I was confused and a little peeved. I didn't recognise the number and promptly declined the call. I was finally about to get some rest when my phone vibrated again. With a sigh, I decided not to answer it. I needed my sleep and my phone would still be there when I'd gotten some. It was probably one of my students working up the nerve to ask me out again. I snuggled into my pillow and started to drift off into sleep when my phone buzzed again.

I huffed and ignored it. I doubt anything my students has to say is urgent enough to warrant me picking up the phone. I doubted it was anyone important; the only people that have my number are Rose, Dimitri, Gary, and a few of my students that I tutor outside of class.

"Answer it."

With a sigh, I crack open my eyes to find Gary staring at me, no longer asleep. I wished I could stare into his eyes all night. They were as gray and as sharp as steel, darkening like a rough tide depending on his mood. Right now, they were dark, almost the color of used charcoal. I wanted to kiss him. And touch him. And loose myself in those beautiful grey eyes of his.

Then, of course, my phone had to buzz again and ruin the moment.

I huffed again, raising myself on my elbows and looking at him longingly before turning and reaching for my phone, stretching out to grab it. Because of the fact that I was so short and had to stretch my body to get the phone instead of getting out of my warm, comfortable bed, Gary's hand slid down slightly. Now it rested on the top of my rear and I smiled when I felt him begin to lazily caress by backside, which looked pretty good it I said so myself. I was only wearing an old sweatshirt and a pair of his boxers and he knew it.

My smile grew as he played with the elastic band holding barely holding the loose fabric in place and traced small patterns in my skin.

As I slid back into bed and turned on my side, facing him and still smiling.

"You know I can't focus on other things when you do stuff like that."

"Maybe I don't want you to focus on other things"

"I thought you wanted me to check my phone"

'I did, but now I want other things"

"Oh really, like what?"

"Like you on top of me"

I laughed. I knew I should blush and turn away, act like I was embarrassed about him saying things like that to me and being so bold and upfront about his feelings and intentions. But I wasn't. Gary was a really handsome guy, but he could be reclusive and I loved it when he spoke exactly what was on his mind, without filtering it or thinking about it first. He only got like this during certain times, like when we were completely alone or sometimes, when we're surrounded by people and he wants to bring my focus back to him. I loved him being open with me and it made me feel like a teenager again to have him say those things and genuinely mean them.

I kissed him. It was slow, agonizingly slow. He groaned when I turned away and I couldn't contain my smile. I loved to tease him and he loved to let me. We kissed like this for a few more moments before my phone lit up and buzzed again in my hands.

Now it was my turn to groan. I glanced down; it was the same number from earlier. It was starting to look more familiar at second glance, so I decided to answer it.

I turned on my back and answered the phone, still smiling.

"Hello."

"Good evening ma'am. If it's no inconvenience, could I speak to Janine Hathaway right away please?"

"This is she, who's calling?"

"Ivoshkov Medical Center. I'm Gretchen. I have some news about your daughter, Rosemarie. I know it's early, but "-

"What's wrong"

"Nothing in particular. However"-

"Then why the hell are you calling me. What happened"-

"Well...it's really nothing to worry about...it wasn't any-anything serious or anything"

She sounded young and scared and I didn't care. At this point I was shoving off Gary's boxers and replacing them with a pair of jeans that I kept under my nightstand, with Gary not far behind me, pulling on a crew neck over his head.

"Gretchen, what happened. What happened to my daughter. I'm on my way now."

"Oh, she's fine now, but earlier this evening she suffered from what we believe to be a panic attack about half an hour ago. We didn't want to call before we knew for sure if she was physically fine. She fine Ms. Hathaway. But she is still unconscious at the moment."-

"I'm still coming"

"That's okay too. When should we expect you?"

" As soon as possible. I'm not hard to miss, I'm five feet tall and have red hair. My boyfriend is coming with me. We'll be there soon. Bye"

With that said, Gary and I left my apartment and speeding for the clinic on the other side of Court.

Dear God, I know I don't do this enough for you to take me seriously but please. Let my baby be okay.