I'm back again! I hope you all are enjoying this story as much as I enjoy writing it! If there is anything yall would like to see happen, let me know and I will see if I can fit it in the story. No promises though. Now onto the story...

I am not Richelle Mead. Obviously.

DPOV

The morning light was just starting to sneak in through the windows of my small second story bedroom. I sighed as I snuggled closer to Rose—holy shit! Rose. I had forgotten for a moment that Rose and I were sleeping in the same bed. I then became aware of how tangled our bodies had become together. It was like we were clinging to each other for dear life. I took a second to get my bearings. I was in bed with my Roza. I loved waking up to her. I wished I could wake up next to her every morning for the rest of my life. Seeing her peaceful face, with her hair sprawled all over the pillow was a sight to behold. My heart swelled with love. She moved slightly in her sleep bringing me back to reality. This would be extremely awkward for her if she were to wake up like this. I slowly tried to extricate myself from her without waking her. I guess her subconscious noticed me trying to move, as she kept moving to my touch.

I finally succeeded in removing myself from the bed without waking her. I grabbed my clothes and headed to the bathroom. I splashed cool water onto my face trying to clear my head. I didn't know how I was going to make it through this month with her.

I could hear Mama moving around in the kitchen, so I hurried into the shower. After last night's meal, I couldn't wait to see what was for breakfast.

I gave my sleeping princess one last look before retreating down to the kitchen. Mama was already hard at work cooking enough food for an army. Rose would be pleased at not having to worry about eating too much that others went hungry. That girl had an appetite that rivaled my 24 year old, 6 foot 7 self.

Mama greeted me with a hug and poured a mug of coffee as I settled at the table to watch her work her magic.

"How did you sleep?" Mama asked me nonchalantly. Let's see. How should I answer this? Great, Mama. I woke up intertwined and touching everywhere possible with a 17 year old girl who I happen to be in love with. Or Great Mama. I woke up with extreme morning wood that just got worse when I realized who I was in bed with.

"Fine. Rose sleeps like the dead anyway."

"And you know this because?" I loved my Mama, but she always had to know everything about everything.

"Because she has fallen asleep on my shoulder before." I remembered that shopping trip to Missoula when Rose had first seen that fateful necklace.

"Dimitri, I think we need to talk about this. Does she know that you are in love with her?"

"Yes, Mama."

"Does she love you?"

"Yes, Mama."

"Then do something about it, Dimitri!"

"Mama, I cannot do that. I tried not to love her. I couldn't do it. God, I tried. You have to believe me. We will both be guarding the princess after they graduate. I have to protect Lissa with everything that I have. The only reason that I can even bare to throw myself in front of her now is that I cannot bare to see Rose if anything ever happened to her best friend, her bond mate. I know Rose can protect herself. I've taught her myself. That still doesn't change the fact that guardians don't fall in love and marry each other. I cannot give her children. I can't take that opportunity away from her. On top of all that, she is seventeen. How do you think it feels to have the person that gets you the most, the person that is your other half, the person that makes everything make sense and nothing make sense at the same time be seventeen? She is my student. I am her mentor. She is out of bounds, and I cannot be that guy."

I put my head in my hands, ashamed that I had raised my voice at my mother, and exhausted at bearing my innermost feelings. I was a guardian with a stone cold exterior. This never happens with me.

I felt my mother put her arms around me. Neither of us said anything. I didn't want to cry. I was a man, damn it. But I let one small tear fall down my face. In that moment, I felt five years old again—needing the comfort of my mother. How had I let my heart become so vunerable? I knew why. Rose. Her sarcastic comments that I acted like annoyed me, but in reality I laughed inside. Her ability to love deeply to a fault. Her amazing ass. The way she knotted her fingers in my hair when she kissed me. The way she looked at me. Everything about her. Rose.

The timer went off for the oven. Mama patted my back and went back to her breakfast task. I sighed deeply and got up to poor myself another cup of coffee. Just as I sat back down, Rose entered the kitchen. She gave no inclination that she had heard anything I had told Mama. I was glad of that.

"Good morning," I said with a slight smile.

"Hey." Always so eloquent, I thought to myself.

"Good morning, Rose," my mother said, "How did you sleep?"

"Good, thanks. I sleep like the dead."

I small chuckle escaped my lips when my mother gave me a knowing look.

"What?" Rose looked at me with an eyebrow raised. How did she learn to do that?

"Nothing." I replied probably a little too quickly.

Mama sat steaming hot plates of breakfast down in front of each of us. There was no conversation, as neither of us could stop from stuffing our faces with this heavenly food. God, I love Mama. Mama just looked at us in amusement.

We were just finishing, when Paul and Karolina came into the room. Karolina bid us good morning, while Paul ran straight to Rose. He threw his arms around her and hugged her as tightly as he could.

"Woah, hey, Paul." Rosa said, barely able to breathe.

"Hey, Uncle Dimitri," Paul said over Rose's shoulder.

"Good morning, buddy."

Paul let go of Rose and took his place at the table. Paul immediately began to eat when Mama placed his food in front of him.

"Paul, what do you tell Nana?" Karolina prompted.

"Thank you, Nana," Paul said with his mouth full.

Rose and I laughed. I could see Rose doing that exact same thing.

"Karolina, what did you have planned today?" Mama asked as she sat down to eat as well.

"Paul has a play date with Alexander today. I was thinking of going to the flea market for a while after, before I go to Stefan's."

Stephan was Paul's father—not that Paul knew that though. When Karolina said "go to Stefan's" I took that as meaning "I am going to go have sex with Stefan." I didn't make it known that I had put that together.

"Do you mind if I come with you to the market? Annika is selling some of her stuff there today. I told her I would have a look at it."

"Sure, Mama. That is fine. Do you think that you could pick Paul up on the way back to the house? I wouldn't want to burden Alexander's family with keeping him too long."

"That sounds fine, Karolina."

"Good morning, all!" Victoria said cheerfully as she entered the kitchen.

A round of good mornings were sent back at her.

Mama spoke first. "Victoria, Karolina and I are going to the flea market. Would you like to join us? Rose you are welcome, as well."

"Sure, I'll go. I think Ana and Elijah are going to be there as well. I can meet up with them."

"Great, how about you Rose?"

Rose looked at me. When I had first met her, she would have given up anything for shopping of any kind. The look in her eyes told me otherwise. She was begging me to not let her go. Something really changed her in Spokane. She really had grown up. I knew she wanted me to say that she couldn't go so that she didn't have to be rude. Her eyes were pleading with me so hard.

"She has to train, Mama. Maybe next time she can join you."

"Oh, Dimitri. Don't be so hard. Let her enjoy Baia at least one day," Karolina said, looking at me disapprovingly.

"She can enjoy it another day. We did not get to train yesterday due to our traveling." I put my guardian mask in place, causing everybody to drop the subject. Thankfully, Paul took that moment to tell Rose all about his friend Alexander. She was listening intently to Paul, but she rested her hand on my leg, just briefly as a thank you.

Everyone helped clear the table and do the dishes, except for Rose to whom Paul was still talking adamantly. Goodbyes were said as everybody left. Rose and I sat at the kitchen table in silence for a few minutes.

"So are we going to train or what?" Rose asked expectantly.

"Sure, let's go change."

I followed her up the stairs. That was not a good idea. Her ass was in a perfect position for me to stare.

Rose changed in the bathroom, while I changed in the bedroom. She made sure I was dressed before coming out. She looked adorable in her loose sweats and tank top.

"Let's go," I said. I led her outside. Our training was just like what we did back at the academy. I decided to run with her around the neighborhood. She was slower than normal today since she was looking at all the houses we passed. I let it slide today. I wanted her to be able to see where I grew up. When we got done running, we sparred. Rose was getting closer and closer to beating me every day. This was good. It meant I was doing something right.

I didn't want to work her too hard. The time change was still affecting her. We left it at just running and sparring.

We were both sweating bullets when we finished.

"I need a shower before your family comes home."

"So do I. You can go first, if you like."

We headed upstairs to my room.

"Do you mind if I stay in here and read while you shower?"

"No that's fine." I could tell her mind was elsewhere. It had been since the flea market was mentioned. She obviously saw the change in my face. She knew a talk or a lecture was coming, and she knew exactly what it was about.

"Rose, we need to talk about this."

"What is there to talk about? I thought you would be happy that I didn't want to go so we could train."

"This is not about that. We could have trained later today. I just don't want you to give up on all the fun things in your life. I know you still feel responsible for Mason and what happened in Spokane."

A small tear escaped. I brushed my finger across her cheek to wipe in away as I said, "Roza," I used my more affectionate name for her, "I was in your position once. You have to believe that you did everything you could. It was not your fault."

"That is not the point, Dimitri. I have accepted the fact that I did everything that I could. I have played that day over and over again, every single damn day, Dimitri. You don't get it, do you? If Mason was still here, I could be with somebody that actually wanted to be with me! Well, guess what. He isn't here. I look at everybody else and see that they all have somebody that loves them and wants to be with them. So tell me, Dimitri. What do I do wrong? Why am I always the one alone?"

The pain flooded her face. She felt alone. Passion flared up in me. "You are asking the wrong guy." I crashed my lips to hers. I couldn't take it anymore. I needed her like I needed air. I moved her against the wall. I ran my hands all over her body. The need I felt for her was like no other. I kissed her with everything I had. She wove her hands through my hair.

The front door slammed. I broke away from her. "I cannot do this, Roza. I'm sorry."

Before I shut the door behind me, I saw her sink to the ground in tears.

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