I'm back… Again. ;) I'm sorry it took a while. This chapter is more of a waiting one with somethig a bit bigger in the end. I hope you'll like it. If you do (or if you don't), please, let me know and reviw! Thanks for the follows! As always, I don't own anything, Richelle Mead does. I forgot to mention this few times, there are major spoilers ahead. Oh, sign the new Frostbite petition! This movie needs to see the light! Anyway, please, read and review!

None of us exactly felt like working. Okay, maybe Dimitri did, but we didn't care. This was way more fun than I imagined, even though we didn't do what we were suppose to. So practically just like high school. After a while Sonya made an end to it and we got to work. She was somehow in charge with this or something.
So we sat at the table. We started with simple stuff like compultion. Dimitri and Sonya became so serious. They looked like, I don't know, some secret agents who have the faith of the world on their shoulders. Agent Scarlet. Because of her hair. And Agent Boring Borscht. I felt sorry of him, heartbroken by Rose (it was both sided, but who cares), but... So was I. I think. I guess. Yeah, I was. And yet, I didn't just sit there.
It still took a while to get us working. Sonxa compelled Dimitri in a second. I looked into Eddie's eyes and told him to make him do push ups or whatever (it was the best thing we came up with), but when I looked into his eyes and said "Get on the floor and gimme a 20," we couldn't help it but burst out laughing. Eddie was much more fun when not keeping an eye on everyone close Jill and keeping another eye on her watching her like a goddess. Maybe she was a bit like a goddess. Like those times she didn't yell at me for everything I did lately.
Sonya snorted when she saw us laughing. "Guys, please. We need to get at least something done. Should we switch partners?"
"Okay, okay, we'll calm down now." We were still laughing a bit, but we got serious. So we find out compultion works on ex - Strigoi and Dhampirs completely the same. And like with anyone else their auras got gold patches after spirit being used one them. But that was nothing. I remembered how Jill's aura shined as if she was a spirit user herself after I brought her back.
Work somehow started to happen. We didn't find out anything new and my mind soon flew away. I wonered what Sydney was doing. She didn't come up with Eddie because there was a problem with Angeline not wanting to wear her school uniform. Something about it being to tight and boring and too ho in this weather for a human to wear. At least that's what Edde told me. The Alchemists were too strict with Sydney. It wasn't fair to her. She didn't deserve it. She was too beautiful and smart and nice and funny and incredible in every single way.
Then I remembered poor Jill's math test. It had to be about now. I better focused my mind somewhere else before she'd get all dreamy too and get a bad grade because of me. That's why I had my plan. Well, it wasn't a plan yet. Nore of an idea. But since I never made plans, I was on a good way there. What would it take? Getting Dimitri alone to tell him the truth? Probably. I had no idea how to do that, but I was sure something was gonna turn up.
Sonya shot me with a suspicious look. She knew I was up to something. It was probably in my aura. I just smiled and chased the thoughts away.
When the work was over for the day, Sonya and Dimitri took me and Eddie with them to Clarence's for feeding. Eddie didn't need it, of course (he actually got horrified at the word feeding every time and I don't know why), but he came by so that he could go back to Amberwood with Jill, Sydney and Angeline. Syndey bought pizza on the way, as always. Angeline seemed impressed by that tradition.
The moment we got inside Jill dragged me on the side. "Just a friendly reminder: don't play matchmaker. I once tried... They both ended up hating me." I laughed. "How could anyone hate you Jailbait? And besides, I'm not playing matchmaker. I'm playing get - your - ex - girlfriend - back - together - with - the - love - of - her - life - because - you - have - nothing - better - to - do maker. And I don't really care if they hate me. I just need something to do."
"Do you realise you're onna get your heart broken all over again seeing them get back together? Are you trying to win her back like this?"
"What? Win her back? Even I'm not that crazy. Rose is a lost subject. And I don't know about my heart. I'm starting to not care. The universe doesn't want my hear to be okay. I don't think I'm ready to love Sydney, but according to my heart I am. I'm an emotional wreck right now, Jailbait, and you know it." She hugged me. Sometimes I didn't even realise I needed a hug. Thank goodness for Jill.
After the feeding was done, I noticed Sydney almost fell asleep on the couch. She looked adorable. I touched her shoulders and she jumped up in a second and yawned. "Hey, Sage, are you okay?" She nodded confused. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Thanks."
"Umm... You sure? You don't look okay." She sighed. "Yes, I'm sure. I'm fine."
"You do realise I can see auras? And that I can see your face? And that there's an empty cup of coffee in your hand, and yet you fell asleep on the couch? So... You going on with the faking?"
"Okay, I'm just tired, you know. I've been up moving Angeline in and then writing a report about the Strigoi attack yesterday until 4 am and slept for about an hour when my history teacher called in desperat need of coffee. Then the school uniform scene started and then classes and now I have a meeting with Stanton and then homework... I hope I'll ever get to sleep again. I also think I have a cold and my sleeping's been terrible since Lee's death." Funny. I slept better than ever since then. "That sounds bad. You should cancel the meeting and go to sleep."
"I can't just cancel it!" Sometimes I got the feeling every word that came from my mouth horrified her. "Why not? They're like every month since Keith's gone. Just tell this Stanton person I made a shit and you have to save me." See? She had that expresion again. "But if she ever finds out I lied... No, that wouldn't work. She'll come to check on Jill or something and find me asleep in my bed." She was capable of that? "Then come to my apartment. Sage, do you have super powers? Or is it just all the coffee you drink? Because anyone else I know would already fall off that couch deeply asleep. Come on, you have to take care of your own health. They can't expect you to be robots! Seriously, if you don't come to sleep to my apartment, I'll carry you there, with these hands that don't do manual labor." I don't know why would I get this upset, but I meant it. "Imagine I said yes. What am I suppose to tell her? What could you do that would keep me away for the whole afternoon?"
"I don't know, heal someone in public? Read their minds? Get drunk and stuck somewhere? Turn Strigoi? You want me to go on?" She sighed. "I'm gonna say you healed someone. I want to argue about this more, but I really don't feel like it. Thanks."
Everyone heard the deal. Sonya agreed to take the others back to Amberwood and Sydney and I went back in her car. Even half asleep she wouldn't let me drive and I was a bit afraid for our lifes. She called Stanton the moment we arrived and then rolled on the couch. "Sage, you can't sleep on the couch. I tried. It's not a good feeling when you wake up. Go to bed."
"Um... okay. Please, wake me up at 6 pm." I nodded and she left to my bedroom. I hoped it was going to get that unique scent of her I loved so much. But that wasn't the reason I told her to go there. I actually slept on the couch. And I also saw a small black object on it. I had to check out what it was. Later. Right now I had to figure out how to get Dimitri to come over alone. And how not to freak out about the fact that Sydney was in my bedroom. She was already asleep. I could see her aura trough the wall. That amazing bright yellow with splashes of a special shade of purple was still there. But the colors were less intense, they were light, gentle and warm. That always meant the person was asleep.
I stepped out to the balcony, one of the things I loved about this apartment, and just took a look at the city. It was amazing. The sun made it seem empty and sleepy, but there was so much life no one else could see. Auras were everywhere. I could see them from so far I doubt anyone could imagine it. It was like a rainow all over the world. I could see how people I didn't even know felt. Sometimes I saw people I knew, sometimes I saw gold spirit ones (I knew the one I saw today was Sonya), sometimes I saw an aura fade away. I knew what that meant. But it was still one of my favorite things to do when I had nowhere to put myself. And it didn't have effects unless I'd do it for hours. I was usually out there for only a few minutes, maybe half an hour.
When I got back inside, I set to the store for cigarettes. I wasn't out of it, I just liked having enough. And when I came back (still no ideas about Dimitri), I decided to check the misterious black object. It was more of a box. A small velvet box. I got an idea of what could it be, but I still opened the box. I was right. It was Dimitri's ring for Rose. I felt my heart crushing to pieces. I knew it'd hurt. It would hurt if I left it alone. But the ring made it feel like it was happening all over again. I still didn't want to believe it. But...
In that moment Sydney walked in. "Adrian? Are you okay? What is this?" I turned back to her. "It's Dimitri's ring for Rose. She said no. It was complicated. Why aren't you asleep?"
"Why did she say no? Why do you know about it? I can't sleep anymore. I'm gonna tell Stanton it all worked out."
"Sage, go back to sleep. Dimitri's probably comming over. But you should really go back to sleep. I mess up profesionally. You can't save it in half an hour. And she's probaly still arund. You'd still have to have the meeting." And her eyes were still half closed. She nodded and went back to my bedroom. She was already half asleep and almost crashed the door. It made me smile. But the smile faded when I looked back to the ring. It was made for Rose. It had a pale pink diamond that looked super expensive and a silver ring part with graved - in little roses. Roses for Rose. It was perfect for her.
I had to call Dimitri. I thought about how to get him over all day, but now I didn't feel like facing him. I don't even know why the ring broke me down so bad. I had to face him. And I couldn't keep the ring. So I called Dimitri and he promised to come. I told him he forgot something, but not what. So he was kind of shocked when he saw the ring in my hands. "Oh... That's... I'm sorry," he blurted. "No problem. I knew before. She told me."
"Why? Sorry, that's not what I meant, but..." I shook my head. "I get it. I also know everything else." Dimitri took a few steps back. I've never seen him so confused. Was he afraid? Of me? Nooo... Or was he? "Relax, I'm not gonna kill you or anything. I'm not capable of something like that. Mentaly or phisically." He breathed out, as if he was relieved. This was the weirdest conversation ever. "But the ring isn't the only reason you called me, right? I have a feeling you want to talk about something else."
"Yeah, you're right. I just wanted to tell you I know how you feel. But you shouldn't feel that way. I talked to Rose. I've never seen her so miserable. She feels just like you do."
"Then why did she say no? If she want to be with me, then why won't she marry me? Is it that she only finds this temperary? I want to spend my life with her!" So do I, Belikov. So do I. But I couldn't say that. "You two are so funny, making up silly thoughts about why the other doesn't to be with you... Don't you trust eachother? No, don't listen to me, I trusted her and look where it brought me. However, she thinks you only proposed to get ridd of her because you knew she'd say no. Or that she messed up her life forever. You really think you're gonna stay broken up? You should really give her a chance to explain why she said no."
"You tell me then."
"Because she's too young. And becase things might get better with Dhampir weddings in the future and it's better to do something normal then than to make a scene now. And because she's too busy with Lissa. And because she wans to spend the rest of her life with you, so what would change of you get married now or in ten years? You'll end up living in a fairytale with a few butts to kick." Dimitri had the expersion that seemed so familiar. It said 'What in the whole wide world have I done?'. "So... She wants me?" I nodded. "Just as much as you want her. Now go and live happily ever after."
"I'm sorry for all of this. Thank you. You'll still have to see a lot of me though. I can't just go there... She's gonna have to wait for a while."
"Yeah, yeah, work comes first or whatever, I know. Oh, and no problem." I really had nothing to complain about. He had bigger problems. Or at least he thought so. The moment he left I called Rose. "Little Dhampir? Get on the first flight. I fixed everything. Belikov is all set to get back together." The other side was silent for a while. "But I can't just..."
"Oh, come on! You had two months or so to go kill him and now you can't fly to Palm Springs for a few days to get back together while being on a break?" I seemed to shock Rose (and myself) more and more often. "Adrian, thank you so much for all of this, but... Why are you doing this? It can't make you feel any better."
"You have a point. I guess I don't have anything better to do." She sighed. "Okay, you know I wanna come! I'll be there tommorrow." Okay, at least Rose wasn't all that everyone -else focused as Dimitri.
In that moment Sydney walked in again. I shook my head. "Sage, your incapability to sleep shocks me." She gave me an innocent look that honestly shocked me. I've never seen er do something like that. "What? I slept for about two hours. If you lived like I do you'd get used to it. So, what did you find out?" I didn't know what she was talking about immediately, but then I realised. "Rose's comming tommorrow." Sydney looked at me with that look that made me heel like she can see trough warm feelimg became burning hot ages ago. In that moment I wondered how could I ever think about Rose when Sydney was so... "And are you okay with that?" she asked.
I snorted. "Sage, please." I was really gonna shut up, but she trusted me before and I really... "Of course I'm not okay with that! She destroyed my heart and now I'm gonna see her make up with the love of her life! I know it's all my fault, but I love her and she keeps breaking me..." Something about Sydney made me go on and on and on about my feelings. I trusted her and I've never felt like I can tell someone everything. "I thought you said it wasn't her fault." Sydney seemed confused. "Its not her fault. But it is. I don't know. Its weird, very weird. Just... Things like that shouldn't happen! I get it so well, but I just don't want to! She was everything to me! But she never felt the same! It was always him! She forgot about me in a moment. I don't want to believe I was always just deluding myself. I don't want to believe it was just a lie! But it was! I don't have a choice! I can't just live in some imaginary world, I have to face it! It hurts. But its not like I have a choice." Shut the fuck up! One more word and I'd tell her how my heart beats every time I'm around her.
Sydney left after a while and now that my distraction was gone, I couldn't think about anything else than how she felt next to me only a few minutes ago and why, why, why couldn't I stop myself from talking. I heard some people totally freezed next to their crushes or however to call that. I wish. But it wasn't like that with Rose. So why did I tell Sydney so much?
I got a phone call from Jill. "Because you trust her." That was one of the weirdest greets I've ever recieved in my life. "Excuse me?"
"You tell her so much because you trust her."
"No, that can't be right. I trust you too and I don't have those long emotional speaches next to you." She laughed. "That's probably because you're forced to trust me. I know things about you you don't even want to know yourself. And because she asks. I don't. Because I know already. She asks because she cares." I snorted. "She probably thinks I'm a pathetic loser."
"Why would she think you're a pathetic loser?"
"Because I am a pathetic loser."
A long debate about wich one of us is a pathetic loser followed. We've come to a conclusion none of us is and that pathetic losers are the people that killed her. We also agreed Lee was a psycho. I have no idea how we got there.
The next day we had the research stuff in the afternoon, because we had other things to do. I had classes, Eddie had school, Sonya had a tour of Palm Springs and Dimitri had feeling sorry for himself. Fascinating. That used to be my thing.
Classes went by in second. So after that I wanted to head home, but Rowena Clark stoped me. "Hey, a few of us are going to a nearby bar tonight. Wanna come?" she asked. Huh. Rowena was one of the rare people who completely understood my attitude to girls. She was also one of the rare girls who didn't fall for that (even Jill sed to be there... or so I have been told) and kept letting me know that since the first day I've known her. She had a pretty good excuse. She liked girls.
I had no idea what to tell her. There'd be drinking and Jill... What the heck! I could hold myself enough not to get drunk. "Sure, I'll be there." Then I remembered the research. No, it'd probably be over by then. But still. "Well, probably. I might have something else to do." She swung her lavendel hair back and raised an eyebrow. "Come on, boring! What could be more important than having fun?" I smirked. "It's family bussiness. And I said probably. I'm pretty sure I'll be there." Rowena smiled. "That's the spirit!" Spirit. I was probably about to need some cheering up.
Later the research was alreay on. I was just focusing on Eddie to use spirit when a roaring engine distracted me. "What is this? Does somebody in your building own a motorcycle?" Sonya asked me. I shook my head and looked trough the window. The rider got of the bike and took of his helmet. Her helmet. I this was a movie, cool rock music would be playing and the video would slow down. Long dark hair floated from the helmet. Oh, yeah. It was Rose. And my heart broke over how much Rose Hathaway style this was.

Was it? Was Rowena okay? Please, tell me! Again, I'll update in up to a week. Oh, and, there wasn't Romitri again, but I promise there will be in the next chapter!