AN: Thank you all for the reviews. As a special thanks, a long one compared to the other chapters.

Disclaimer: I do not own a damn thing of this story or the characters in them.

My version of Last Sacrifice

Chapter Five

"Old Man." I was actually surprised to see him. This was the first time that he has been down to see me since the hearing. Not that I should be surprised. He was my lawyer.

"Kiz." The guardian on duty near my cell glanced between the two of us. Abe glanced at the guardian and shot him a nasty look. "How are they treating you," he said while nodding his head towards the nameless guard.

"Well, Mr. Mazur," I said to try to get the guard's attention. I worked. "I still have not had any breakfast." I shot a grin at the guard. I knew he knew who Abe was and what he was capable of. The guardian started to back towards the door.

"So-sorry Mr. Mazur, I wasn't...uh...aware she was eating anything since she has been on a hunger strike," the guard stuttered. Abe shot him a look.

"I suggest you head right to the kitchen and get together whatever you can for this young girl. No small portions either," demanded Abe. He was so bad ass. The man didn't immediately turn around and walk away. Man, this guy had some guts. "Well... what is it you are waiting for, you fool?"

"Protocal, sir. She isn't allowed any visitors when there is no guardian on duty down here."

"I will have my own guardians while you are getting Rose some food. Go. NOW!"

I watched the guardian turn around without another word. Abe silently watched him, nodded at his guardians, and then turned to me once he was through the door. As he left, two of Abe's guardians entered but stood right near the door. They knew they were not needed but this was the only way for Abe to get alone time with me. "Listen Kiz, we don't have much time. I told you that you would not got to trial and you would not be executed. I still promise you this. From the paperwork I have, your trial is to be held a week from tomorrow." So soon? I am not ready for this... "I am working on a way to get you out before the trial. You'll know when it is time. I can not go into much detail right now as the plans are not set in stone. Please just trust me and know thats its not much longer in this jail cell."

"Abe, I can't allow you to break me out. I do not want to bring anyone down with me. If you get caught, you'll be thrown in here with me as an accomplice. And if you involve anyone else, they'll go down with us. We can't let it happen."

Abe closed his eyes and sighed. "Rose, do not worry about me and what I am planning on doing. And if anyone else is involved, they will know the risks before hand. Just get some rest and please start eating."

"Abe-" I stopped talking since the other guardian was back with a tray of food. I could smell it from down the hall. My mouth was watering and my stomach was growling in anticipation of some food.

When the guardian got closer I was able to see what was on the tray. It looked like a turkey club sandwich on sourdough bread. YUM! Next to it was a granny smith apple and a bag of chips. There was a bottled water too. God, I am in heaven! The guardian went to hand me the food when Abe stopped him. "Take a bite." I wasn't sure exactly where he was going with this, but that was my food he was offering to someone else.

"Excuse me," the guardian said, questioning Abe. "Take a bite? Why?"

"I want to make sure you didn't poison anything. There is a murderer still amongst us." Abe was something else. I didn't even think I had to worry about poisoning but I guess anything is possible.

The guardian eyed Abe for a few moments and then reached took half of the sandwich and took a bite. My mouth watered as I was watching him chew the sandwich—my sandwich. He swallowed it and set the sandwich back on the tray. Abe stood watching him for a few minutes. I am assuming it was to make sure he didn't drop dead. When he figured he was fine, Abe took the tray from the guard and handed it to me and then turned back to the guard.

"I will be providing her meals during her stay here. Expect one of my guardians or someone else who works for me to be providing these meals for her. We will be here at least three times a day with her food. Also she looks like she is in need of a shower, she will be getting these every day. You can plan on one of my people doing that as well. God knows what you or anyone here would do." Abe didn't even allow the guardian to respond. He turned to me and saw me shoving a hand full of chips into my wide open mouth. "Nice Kiz. I'll be sending someone later today for your shower and dinner."

He took one last look at me and the guardian then turned around and headed toward the door. Not interested in the guardian, I kept shoving my mouth full of the food. It was so good, I can't believe I was trying to starve myself. I was made to eat.

After I had consumed every piece of food and drank the entire water bottle of water, I put the empty tray with the trash on it, on the floor in front of the cell door. The guardian didn't even bother saying a single word to me or even bother glancing in my direction. Dick. I walked over to the cot and decided a short cat nap would do me some good. Give me time to process what Abe was talking about. I couldn't believe he was planning an escape. God knows who would be helping him. I was worried that he would recruit Lissa for her compulsion. It wouldn't take much to convince her... that made me worry more. I didn't want to get Lissa in trouble or ruin any chance she had to become the next queen. Especially since I needed to get out of here to find her half sibling so she could become queen.

So lets say I did get out, who was breaking me out, and how was I going to find Lissa's sibling if a) I am a fugitive and my face will be plastered all over the Dhampir and Moroi communities, b) I have people traveling with me. I wanted to do this myself. The queen her self wrote that I should share this information with as 'few people possible'. I wasn't sure if I could trust anyone with this information. I needed to keep this to myself.

I felt myself fading and the thoughts slipping out of my head. I slipped into a dreamless slumber.

I don't know how long I had been sleeping but I was woken up by people arguing.

"I was sent here by Abe Mazur. I am here to take Rose for her shower and to bring her dinner. Do NOT stand in my way!" Ugh, how could it be. Why did it have to be him... He always seems to be involved when he is not wanted. Why is he involved anyways? Not like he cares or anything. And why would Abe send him here?

"He said he would be sending people who worked for him. You do not work for him, hell you don't work for anyone anymore. You can't be trusted." The guardian spatted back to Dimitri.

"He hired me on once I was dismissed by the guardian council. So, I suggest you move out of my way and let me down to see Ms. Hathaway!" Dismissed? How could the Russian God be dismissed! I heard the door open down stairs. I sat up and turned to look out of the cell. Hell, he is gorgeous!

He walked up to my cell and unlocked the door and beckoned for me to follow him. "Come on Rose. Lets get you into the shower. Lissa found you some clean clothes. I'll take these with me so they can be washed—several times," he said as he cautiously touched my very smelly, very dirty clothes. He lead me down the where the showers were and handed me a bag. I looked inside and I felt a smile spread across my face as I took inventory of what was in the bag: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, a loofa, a razor, a hair brush, deodorant, tooth brush, tooth paste, and my clothes. I felt guilt run through me. I can't believe I've pushed Lissa away. She is amazing. I'll have to remember to thank her and apologize soon.

I headed to one of the shower stalls. I turned to look at Dimitri, who was watching me, very carefully. "Thank you." He nodded his head and then turned to sit up against one of the cold tiled walls. He pulled out one of his western novels that I had seen him read before. I smiled secretly and then turned back around. There was a chair up next to the outside of the stall so I took my shower supplies out and put the rest of the bag on the chair so they wouldn't get wet. I closed the curtain and got undressed as quickly as I could. I couldn't stand to be in those nasty clothes any longer. I threw them on the floor outside the stall and turned on the hot water, almost to scalding.

I took my time washing my hair, to get all the grim out. Next I washed my body, several times, making sure to get every part of me. It felt so good to have a clean body. I then spent several minutes shaving. Making sure to get the forest that had grown on my legs and underarms. Also made sure to tidy up the bikini area, not that the area was going to see any action any time soon. But I was starting to feel like my self again. It was fantastic! After I was done, I still stayed in the hot water a little while longer, until I heard footsteps head over to the stall.

"Rose, are you alright?" I was so strange to have him standing near me while I was naked and only a thin shower curtain between us.

"Yeah, sorry. I was just enjoying the hot water. I'll be out in a second." I put my head under the shower for one more time.

I heard a small chuckle. "No rush, I was just making sure you were okay. You have been in there for awhile, but take your time." I paused for a moment to listen for the footsteps of him walking away. They never came so I glanced over at the curtain to find his silhouette still standing in front of the curtain.

Kind of embarrassed I turned off the water. "Can you uh, hand me a towel?"

"Sure." The tone in his voice knew he was caught watching me. He quickly disappeared and showed up a few minutes later. He paused outside the shower stall. I reached my hand around the curtain and he handed me the towel. He promptly walked away. I wrapped the towel around myself and then opened the shower curtain. I glanced over at Dimitri who had sat back down where he was originally sitting reading some more.

"Dimitri," he looked up at me, "thank you for doing this. Its very kind of you."

For a second, his face showed emotion towards me that I had longed to see. He quickly put on his guardian mask. "You are welcome Rose. But I am paid to do this. I work for Abe now."

"Oh." I turned to the chair to pull out my clothes and went into a different shower stall to get dressed. How could I think that things were changing between us. I was such a silly girl for believing it. I closed the curtain and took of the towel drying my self. I pulled on my clothes that Lissa had packed. This girl must have thought I was in a fashion prison because she packed me a lacy black bra with a matching thong, a pair of denim bootcut jeans with a black tank top. I would have preferred a pair of sweats and a baggy t-shirt. But as long as its clean, I couldn't complain—much.

I stepped out of the stall and didn't bother to look at Dimitri. I ran the towel through my hair then put it on the floor along with the dirty clothes. I grabbed the hair brush and quickly brushed it to get the knots out. Put some deodorant on and then brushed my teeth. Once I felt myself again, I packed up all the items that were taken out of the bag and added the dirty clothes and towel.

I turned towards Dimitri and saw him staring at me. Why me? Get over him Rose! He is not interested. Love fades, mine has.. I kept repeating it to myself.

"Feel better?" He questioned as he stood up off the floor.

"Much. You'll have to thank Abe for me," I said very snarky. I dropped my guard though. As much as he hurt me, I could never stop loving him—even if he has stopped loving me. I looked up at him while he looked down at me. We had both stopped walking. It was like we were studying each other for the first time. I wanted to ask him so many things but I didn't want to ruin the moment. But my mouth wouldn't listen. "Why?"

His shoulders slumped knowing what was coming next. "Why what Roza?" His eyes never left mine.

My heart skipped a beat hearing my russian name. "Why did you protect me in the cafe? Why were you willing to fight for me?"

His eyes focused on me and he cautiously proceeded, "I saw how scared you were. Hell, I was scared for you. My instincts kicked in to protect you. Why do you think I signed up with Abe? I can protect you while working for him. For some reason he seems pretty attached to you."

"But why protect me when you said-" he didn't let me finish.

"Because you are right, I owe you. Vasilisa may be Moroi but I can not truly protect her since I was dismissed from my duties. Think of this as my way of thanking you for what you set out to do."

"Will you ever let me forgive you?"

"I can not forgive you until I forgive myself. Please, give me time. Until then, just let me do my job."

I hadn't realized we were standing in front of my cell. He ushered me back in. He took the bag that held my dirty clothes. We stood only inches from each other. When I looked up at him, he realized just how close we were and he knew I had noticed. He took a step backwards towards the cell door.

"Are you hungry?"

"Comrade, it hasn't been that long. When am I not hungry?" He smiled at me and lifted the bag that was in his hand.

"Alright, I'm going to take care of these and then I'll be back with your food."

And with that he stepped out of the cell, closing and locking it behind him. He glanced back at me before he walked through the door. I couldn't believe it. Dimitri was talking to me... and being civil!This is something for the record books. Just as Dimitri walked out another guard walked in and took his post guarding me. I didn't care that he was giving me dirty looks since I was looking forward to seeing Dimitri.. and eating. Not sure what one I was more excited for. Maybe if he could serve the food off of his wash boards abs. Oh god, that would be heaven.

Please review! Is Dimitri in character, do you think this is how he would act? Please let me know what you think! Oh and do you think I need a beta? I wasn't going to but let me know.