Sorry that this is a day late guys. I was just trying to sort through possibilities. Trust me I was worth the wait, I promise. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, I made the chapter a little longer than usual as a present =] Enjoy!!

"Rose!"

I heard the voice again. I decided to turn around to see who was calling me. When I turned around everything that was around me faded. I didn't know where I was but it deffenatly not where I was before. I felt heavy and tired but I didn't want to sleep.

Then I heard the voice again. "Roza, are you awake. Please come back to me. I can't lose you. I love you."

Now I knew who that voice belonged to. But it was impossible. He's a freakin strigoi. He can't be here. The voice was Dimitri's. regardless of how he got here I put myself on the defensive. I opened my eye prepared to see the where I last was and strigoi Dimitri. Instead what I saw shocked me more than anything. I was in a hospital bed at the medical wing of the Academy, IV and all. And in the chair next to me was a distraught Dimitri. How the fuck was he here. When he looked up at me I didn't bother looking at him closely.

"How the fuck did you get in here! You're a strigoi, you can't get in here. Oh my God you used compulsion on a human to get them to stake the wards then sucked them dry!

Before I could say anything else he interrupted me with a huge hug that knocked the breath out of me. Then I think what I said finally registered with him. He pulled away from me, but not letting me go and said "Roza what are you talking about I'm not a strigoi, I'm a dhampir."

What was he talking about last time I saw him was in Russia and he was fully a strigoi, complete with red ringed eyes, pale, cold skin, fangs, and a cruel, cold demeanor. I looked more closely at him now. I figured if I was going to die here I might as well look at the man I love. When I looked at him he was smiling, and there were no fangs. His pale, cold skin was tanned once more and felt warm where he held me. And then I looked into his eyes, there was no red just the deep brown pools I loved so much. I have to be dreaming, but I'm here and awake.

"How are you not strigoi, last time I saw you….you…you…" I couldn't help it. It was just us two so I just started sobbing. He just held me and resassured me that everything was going to be okay. Then when I calmed down he said "I was never a strigoi. Rose, you've been in a coma for a month."

"WAIT WHAT!!!!"

"shhhh…Roza. You saved me from that blond strigoi. He would have turned me if you didn't save me, thank you for that by the way. But he got you pretty good, knocked you into a comma."

"So you're saying that I dreamt that I met your mom, sisters, niece and nephew, and Yeva? And that you were strigoi and you kept me captive in Galina's estate and my escape from there, and staking you thinking I killed you. Then getting a note a week later saying that you're still alive. Oh not to mention meeting my dad, Abe Mazur, an alchemist named Sydney and another spirit user and shadow kissed couple named Oksana and Mark. Also that I passed my trials in five minutes." I was breathless by the end because with each sentence my words were getting faster. What he was saying made sense, I mean why else would I be in a hospital bed and him here with me not as a strigoi.

"That's why you looked terrified." He said mostly to himself. "But yes Roza I think in your comma you imagine what might of happened if you didn't save me."

"Wait how long have you been here, I mean in the hospital with me?" I wondered.

"So you believe me?" He was avoiding my question, I could tell.

"Yes I do, I mean why else would you be a dhampir and me be in a hospital bed hooked up to machines? And don't avoid the question, how long have you been sitting there?"

"I come when visiting hours start and leave when they end, sometimes I stay overnight. Before I could protest how stupid that was he cut off what I said with the most passionate kiss he has ever given me. When he pulled away he said, knowing my concerns, "Some people know about us now, it was kind of unavoidable."

God he knew me so well, "Who knows?"

"Alberta, she said she suspected for a while but figured it out when we took so long to get you cleaned up and calmed down. Lissa and your other friends figured it out by always seeing me in the room when they came to visit. Lissa's the only one who was brave enough to ask, though she asked for the others too. Kirova and your mom don't know yet."

"And Alberta…is she…?"

"Okay with us? Yes she is. She just wished we waited to be official after you graduated but she's happy we found each other, and thinks our idea is a good one. She thinks that while your assigned to Lissa, I might get to be assigned to Christian." He said the last part very enthusiastically.

"That's cool and I'm happy that Alberta supports us. I'm assuming Lissa does. Now can we call Olendinski in here so I can leave?"

"Lissa is ecstatic about us. And okay."

He called in the doctor and while he did so I couldn't help but smile. The nightmare my life has been lately, was nothing but that. He was never turned, and as silly as it sounds, my fairy tale was back on. When Olendinski came in she said I had to stay overnight just for observation, then I could go back to my dorm tomorrow morning. And then as if they summoned, my friends, Lissa, Eddie, Christian, Adrian, and even Mia were in my room rushing over to me and each of them giving me bone crushing hugs.

Mia was there since after the attacks because she missed all of us too much to stay at court and was transferred back just for this year, then she would go back to court with all of us for her senior year. When Lissa came over to me, through the bond I felt relief, happiness, and understanding of why I hid my relationship with Dimitri wash over me.

"Oh my God, I'm so SO happy your okay Rose. You had all of us scared to death." She started to tear up

"Oh Liss, its okay. It was just like a huge nap." With a horrible nightmare I thought to myself. "And I'm happy you're no pissed at me."

"Why would I be pissed at…oh that. Rose come on, I mean at first I didn't understand why you would hide something major like that from me. But Dimitri explained why you two hid everything and why you couldn't tell me, and I understood. But I could never be pissed at you for not telling me that."

After that my friends, Dimitri just caught me up to speed on what was going on, and what I missed. They also gave me my birthday presents seeing as I was in my comma. Lissa combined a gift from her and Christian and gave me a really cute outfit and bangles to match. I'm guessing Christian just wrote his name down, Liss picked it out. Eddie and Mia also combined a gift and got me some really cool yoga and other workout stuff. Adrian got me that Amor Amor perfume that I like. And Dimitri got me a personalized silver stake and a really pretty necklace that had a lightning bolt charm. He said the lightning bolt resembled both the molnijas I have and that when I'm fighting I'm as fast as lightning.

After they gave me my presents, doctor Olendinski came in and told everyone they had to go. All my friends left, but Dimitri lingered. An hour later Dimitri was still there and I don't really think Olendinski minded all that much, maybe she knew or just assumed we're dating. Because when she came in she just checked my IV and then left, apparently didn't mind if he slept over.

"You know Dimitri, you can sleep in your bed if you want, I'll be fine. Or if you insist on staying at least come into bed with me here."

"I'm not leaving but I guess I could go into bed with you."

He climbed in next to me and snuggled me closer to him as he put his arms around me. I laid my head against his chest not wanting to go to sleep.

"Roza, you should rest."

"But what if I wake up and you're not here because this is just a dream."

"Don't worry it won't be a dream. I'll be here when you wake up." He kissed my forehead and starting humming what was probably some sort of Russian lullaby because I had never heard it before. And then I drifted off to sleep in Dimitri's arms.

Well I hope it was worth the wait for you guys, even though I was one day late. I'll update soon but I'm not going to give a specific date as to when just soon. Hoped you enjoyed!! R&R