Author's Note: YAY! I'm up to 7 chapters! xD And You guys are making me happy with your reviews. xD I'm glad you like Sasha!... But oh man! you guys are going to hate me later on in the story. *le sigh* Oh well. Enjoy this chappie! And review!

Life had a whole new meaning. It wasn't focused on trying to forget Dimitri Belikov anymore, because the memories I had of him were no longer excruciatingly painful. He was a man that had come into my life that I loved deeply, and who had taught me so much of what I know. I'd been changed for the better because of him. Granted, it might reopen and set old wounds to stinging, and be awkward if I ever saw him again, but I didn't want to dwell on it. My days were spent assistant teaching and training, patrolling shifts, terrorizing Stan Alto, looking in on Lissa and having long phone conversations with her every now and then, and now taking care of the little stick of dynamite known as Sasha Rakova. And, boy, did I love that kid, even if I did know her for only a little less than a month.

Sasha didn't really have too many friends, and was a bit of a loner for one so young. At first, it painfully reminded me of Dimitri, but I'd grown to love Sasha even more for it. And, it also made her want to hang out with me during her free time, not that I minded or anything.

I woke up one Saturday morning and grinned when I saw the outside seemed to be whitewashed. First snow of the season, and it was about time already! It was already the middle of the first week of December, and we hadn't seen one measly snowflake until now. I got out of bed and pulled a pair of jeans and a sweater on, with a pair of thick woolen socks, and my snow boots over them. I grabbed my coat and walked out of my room and had just started to walk down the hall as I pulled it on when I was all of a sudden knocked over out of nowhere because something small had run smack-dab into my legs. I shrieked in surprise, as I landed flat on my ass, and I suddenly heard the tinkling sound of a sweet laugh.

"Auntie Rose!" a small voice suddenly cried in excitement and I felt a tiny bundle catapult into me, wrapping her little arms around her neck. "Auntie Rose, I scared you!" Sasha declared with a darling little laugh. I couldn't hold back the laugh that bubbled from my lips as I hugged her back. Her enthusiasm was contagious.

"Yeah… You definitely scared me all right," I admitted, laughing and shaking my head as Sorsha climbed off of me, and grabbed my hand, trying to drag me down the hall. I had no idea how she managed to sneak from the elementary dorms and into the guardian dorms. She was a wiry, devious little thing for sure. It was almost scary how much she was like me, minus the talking, center-of-attention attitude I had growing up. Sasha was a handful, and I now understood just a little of how Dimitri must have felt when I was stuck trying to keep me in line. I was a little sorry for him, but… not really. I wouldn't ever change a hair on Sasha's head if I could help it. In my eyes, I had this incredibly biased, motherly assumption that she was already perfect in every way. Admittedly, the guardians always made fun of me turning into a huge softy wherever Sasha was involved, but honestly, I didn't really care. I loved her like my own child, I really did.

"C'mon, Auntie Rose! Let's go play!" Sasha demanded, and I raised an eyebrow at her. I finally managed to learn how to do that, and was actually quite proud of my accomplishment. Sasha just giggled at me and told me that my face looked funny when I did that.

"What? I get up and get dressed for the morning and have you scare the crap out of me, and you expect me to force myself to go and play in the snow?" I demanded with false incredulity. Sasha rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Rose!" she urged, before clasping her hands together and looking up at me with those huge, lovely blue tourmaline eyes. "Please come and play with me, Auntie Rose? Please?" she begged me, and I couldn't deny her anything afterwards. I sighed and accepted my defeat with a smile as I got to my feet.

"Oh all right," I told her, laughing as she let out a whoop and grabbed my hand, practically dragging me outside. I stopped her, grinning. "Wait, wait, wait!" I exclaimed, making her groan with frustration as she looked at me exasperated. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. "We need to eat breakfast first," I told her, making her sigh.

"Fine. Can we go build a snowman afterward?" she asked me hopefully, and I smiled down at her, and gave her tiny little hand a gentle squeeze.

"I guess that wouldn't hurt," I teased her gently, and she responded with a cry of joy that make me laugh and shake my head affectionately.

"Well well. Hathaway's got a soft spot," Stan's voice floated from behind me. I turned around and stuck my tongue out at him.

"You're just jealous," I shot back at him, making him laugh and shake his head, holding up his hands.

"Oh no. I had to put up with you throughout your school years. That's enough to send me heading for the hills," he teased, and I blew him off.

"Pfft! Whatever. You know you love me, Alto. There's no denying that I was your favorite student. Without me, your classes would have been boring!" I told him primly, making him laugh again. Stan and I didn't have a mutual hatred of each other like we did when I was still a student. As amazing as was, we were actually pretty good friends now days. Granted, we still got on each other's nerves, and I loved harassing him every now and then for old time's sake, but our relationship had turned into something of an irritating niece/crotchety uncle-type connection. It was respectively hilarious.

"Whatever makes you feel better, Rose. You're still a pain in my ass," he told me, making me clap my hands over Sasha's ears, hiccoughing with laughter.

"Guardian Alto!" I cried with a mock air of bruised dignity. "There are young students present! How dare you use such language?" I exclaimed dramatically, making us both laugh. "No seriously. I've put a lot of effort into trying not to teach her to swear," I told him grinning. Sasha was whining about how she was a 'big kid' and didn't need what she heard to be censored, and that I needed to stop talking with everyone I saw so we could hurry up and go eat so we could go play. I chuckled and bid Stan goodbye before letting Sasha finally lead me to the cafeteria.

Much like I normally did, Sasha wanted to gorge herself on junk food. However, I wanted her to grow up healthy and well-nourished, and so I reluctantly gave up my morning doughnuts and started picking healthier choices. I was setting an example, and I usually made Sasha eat the same thing I ate, just portions fit for her size and activity level. Well-balanced meals were such a trial. This morning, I loaded both of our trays with mouth-watering, cinnamon French toast, sausage links, and scrambled eggs. I also picked up a couple bowls of fruit, and grabbed us both a carton of chocolate milk. Hey, we both had to justify ourselves a little bit!

I carried both our trays to an empty table (Sasha's little hands weren't quite coordinated enough to carry her heavy tray just yet), and instructed Sasha to sit down before setting her tray in front of her. I sat down across from her and we both started to dig into the pile of food on our trays. I was interrupted mid-bite of my French toast when my phone suddenly rang. Annoyed, I stuffed my fork into my mouth and flipped my phone open and answered with my mouth full of warm, cinnamon/syrupy goodness.

"Hathaway," I answered curtly while I chewed. If they wanted to call me in the middle of breakfast, then they would have to hear it too.

"Rose!" Lissa's voice cried excitedly on the other end. "I'm pregnant!" I choked on my mouthful of food, making Sasha jump up alarmed and run around the table to pound me on the back.

"Auntie Rose! Are you okay?" she asked worriedly, and I nodded, and told her to go back and eat.

"You're what?" I asked, totally shocked.

"I'm pregnant! And Christian proposed!" Lissa declared happily. I beamed.

"No way!" I told her. "You're messing with me, Liss." I heard her scoffing into the phone, and had to bite back a laugh.

"No, I am not!" she protested. "You're going to be an aunt, and the maid of honor at my wedding," she told me smugly. I started giggling, totally happy for my friend.

"That's great, Lissa! Congratulations! One problem though. I'm kind of tied up here at the Academy… Sasha, you had better eat that fruit," I told Lissa, ending with a warning to Sasha who was trying to get rid of pieces of her fruit salad so she didn't have to eat them. The action didn't escape my watchful eyes.

"What?" Lissa asked, confused. I laughed again.

"Sorry. I'm eating breakfast with Sasha right now," I explained. I had told Lissa all about my new little charge. I heard her laughing.

"Oh! Well, you don't have to worry about making it. We're going to get married at the Academy's chapel… It has sentimental value to it," she explained, making me nearly choke again.

"You've got to be kidding me! Really?" I exclaimed, totally excited. "You're getting married here so the whole gang can come and see me? I'm touched, Lissa!" I teased her, making her nearly squeal with laughter. We both knew that the whole idea of a couple of kids just barely out in the world getting married and having the wedding at their old school's chapel was a ridiculously corny idea, but I was happy for my best friend. I was glad that they'd finally gotten back together, and were now taking things a step further in their relationship. Christian and Lissa were good for each other, and Christian is really the only guy I would trust Lissa with. Ever.

"When is the wedding?" I asked. Lissa had promised me that Dimitri would be tagging along with her when she came to visit me during Holidays or anything like that, but I'd be stark, raving mad if I deluded myself into thinking that he would miss their wedding.

"Sometime in the spring. We haven't set the date yet," she told me, understanding the real reason I asked. "However," she said cheerfully. "We're coming to visit you next week!" I grinned at this new knowledge.

"Well it's about darn time already! I thought you'd forgotten me over here!" I teased her patronizingly, laughing at her cried, indignant protests. We chatted for a little while longer; before I told her that I needed to finish eating and that I would talk to her later. I hung up, and hastily devoured my quickly cooling food, and was proud of Sasha for nearly finishing everything on her plate.

"I'm going to beat you," I teased her, stuffing a huge spoonful of scrambled eggs into my mouth. Sasha indignantly denied my claims and started eating faster in an effort to beat me. It was hard not to laugh at the silliness of it all. When we both actually did finish our breakfast, I went and begged a carrot off one of the cooks, and lead Sasha outside. She excitedly ran ahead of me in the thick, ankle-deep snow, and spun around with her head tilted back, facing the sky as the fat, heavy snowflakes landed on her face and in her hair. This kid was adorable.

I smiled affectionately as she ran circles around me and tried to catch snowflakes with her tongue as I walked her out towards the cabin that Dimitri and I had given our selves to each other in. I didn't want the other students to knock down Sasha's snowman. I never thought I'd ever be able to come this close to the little building ever again. But, as usual, I surprised myself as we immediately set to work, packing a large snowball together before we both started rolling it in the snow. When it got too big for her to push, I told her to start working on the middle section while I forced my weight against rolling the enormous snowball in front of me back towards the front of the cabin. When I had the bottom set in the spot we wanted it, I helped Sasha finish the middle, and lifted it onto the bottom section while she scampered off to make the head.

We finally had the body made and I jammed the carrot in the center of the head for the nose while Sasha picked up some pebbles to make the eyes and mouth. I lifted her up into my arms so she could put them on, and then I put her up on my shoulders as we searched for a couple of forked branches we could use for the arms.

"Auntie Rose?" Sasha asked with unusual seriousness.

"Mmm?" I hummed in response.

"Why do the other kids say my daddy was a Blood Whore, and that I'm a Strigoi lover? I hate Strigoi. They killed my mommy and daddy. And I don't even know what a 'blood whore' is!" she exclaimed, but I could hear by the sound of her voice that she was on the verge of tears. I stopped and took Sasha from my shoulders and set her down on the ground in front of me. She wouldn't look at me, and stared down at her feet, dragging her toes in the snow. I knelt down in front of her, and grasped her arms in my hands.

"Sasha," I said, but she still wouldn't look up. "Sasha, baby, look at me," I told her gently, lifting her chin so that her eyes would meet mine. "Don't listen to what the other kids say. You are a wonderful little girl, and you'll be one heck of an amazing guardian when you're older," I told her, unsure of what to tell her in order to answer her questions.

"You don't know that. I haven't even started training yet," she mumbled, and I winced. She had a point.

"Sasha," I told her earnestly, looking her straight in the eyes. "I know you. You've got more heart than any of the students I've encountered. You're a very dedicated, loyal girl, and I have full faith that you'll become one of the best guardians anyone has ever seen." I felt a little cheesy saying this, but to give me some credit, I wasn't entirely sure what to say about this particular subject, and thankfully, she brightened, and hugged me. I smiled, and embraced her gently, stroking her hair.

"I love you, Rose," she whispered. "Momma would have liked you." Sasha's words touched me deeply, and I found myself holding her tightly as I wiped the tears that had suddenly flooded my eyes. I didn't want her to see me like this, because it would worry her. Thankfully, I managed to compose myself.

"I love you too, Sweetheart," I murmured softly. After a moment, I finally pulled away, and smiled at Sasha. "C'mon. Let's go find some arms so we can finish Mr. Snowman," I told her, and she nodded at me, smiling back as she took my hand as we searched for the perfect branches.


"There's something missing!" Sasha declared; looking at our masterpiece with her face scrunched up with adorable scrutiny. I smiled and told her to wait right there as I ran into the cabin and retrieved the finishing touches. I made sure not to acknowledge the bed, because if I did, it would surely be my demise. As quickly as I had come in, I ran back out, holding a scarf and a stocking cap and placed it on our snowman, making Sasha clap her hands with delight.

"How's that?" I asked her, grinning.

"That's just what it needed! He's perfect!" Sasha exclaimed as she rushed forward and hugged my legs. "Thank you, Auntie Rose!" I laughed, and unclasped her arms from my legs, and took her hand.

"Glad you like it! Now, let's go inside before you freeze to death!" I told her. Sasha was the lucky one, because she was all bundled up in her coat, snow pants, and boots to keep the cold away from her body. I, on the other hand, wasn't so fortunate, because my jeans were soaked clear through. I was positive that my butt and legs were going to fall off soon. We headed back to the guardian building, but Sasha dragged her feet.

"Ugh. I'm so tired!" she exclaimed, and I just raised an eyebrow (again, me and my awesome new skill). I smiled, and hauled her up to sit on my shoulders as I carried her the rest of the way, and inside into one of the lounges.

"How does hot chocolate sound?" I asked her. I could feel her nodding eagerly, and laughed as I set her down and took two cups out and absentmindedly four packets of cocoa out, dumping two into each up. Dimitri was the one who had taught me this secret, and now I did it out of habit. I handed her a cup and made her go sit on one of the couches and told her to stay there, and watch my hot chocolate until I got back from changing my pants: which wouldn't take long, because my room was just down the hall. I came back wearing a pair of old, dry sweat pants, and I sat next to her on the couch and drank my hot chocolate as she pored over an "I Spy" book that had been sitting on the coffee table from her many hours here, hanging out with me. We spent the remaining hour we had of the morning in there in that comfortable, companionable silence until lunchtime rolled around, our earlier conversation about her parents and the nastiness of children long forgotten.