Hello every one I am very sorry that I have not posted sooner. Things with Dad have been shakey but I am still hopeful that he will be home by thanksgiving. That would definantly give me something to be thankful for. We lost my mom about 5 years ago and even though I am 38 I still feel like I need my parents.

I hope you enjoy this chapter. It is one of my favorites because of the interaction between Lissa and Rose and how Lissa learns about the Relationship between Rose and Dimitri.

Chapter Seven: Though the Bond.

Lissa's POV

Flashback: the night of the attack

Dimitri pulled Rose off of Jessie and I saw how badly she had beaten him. I could see that regular medical treatment was not going to save him. He might live a day or two but ultimately he would die. If he died then Rose, my sister for all intense purposes would be convicted of murder and be taken away from me. I rushed over to Jessie and started to heal him. Rose fought against Dimitri, she wanted to stop me. The darkness she took form me was too great and she wanted his death.

"Take her away and get her cleaned up!" Alberta ordered Dimitri and he pulled her away leaving me to do my work. I continued to heal Jessie till I knew that he was no longer in danger of dying. As he took her farther away her shouts faded.

It frightened me that my darkness could do this to her. For the first time I understood that I could cause her to go insane. I have to find a way to protect her from my spirit darkness. She was away from me and I could no longer hear her. I could still feel her. This was something new for us. Before the bond was only one way. She could feel my feelings hear my thoughts and even slip into my head but I could never do this for her before. Perhaps by taking all my darkness the way she did changed our bond.

The guardians took Jessie and me to the infirmary and as they cleaned my wounds I concentrated on Rose. She was still mad as hell and her thoughts were on escape from Dimitri and coming here to kill Jessie. I focused on her farther; before I knew what happend the room before me changed and I saw the cabin that Chris's aunt had stayed in. Before I could fully understand what was happening I suddenly knew I was Rose. I was experiencing the world through her as she has done for me. I tried to pull back into my own head but I couldn't; Rose's feelings were too strong. I must have gotten sucked in.

~oOo~

Lissa's POV, In Rose's head

I was so full of anger, why couldn't Dimitri understand that Jessie needed to pay for what he did to Lissa. I tried one more time to get away but Dimitri was too fast. He pinned me to the bed and held me down with the weight of his body on mine.

"This isn't you. You have to let it go. It's not you. Roza, please come back to me?"

With that one word, my name, I found the strength to let go of Lissa's darkness. I looked into his eyes and saw all his feeling. His walls were down and I knew he loved me. I began to tremble and shake with the power of the moment. Something happened to us that I will never be able to fully comprehend. In one look I gave him my love and he fully accepted it. I accepted his love into me and I was changed by it. I felt as though we were one soul; once separate made whole. I don't know anything about soul mates or marriage but what this is, was something stronger. He leaned down pressing his lips to mine. It was slow and tender at first but soon there was the passionate need to let our body's experience what our souls already knew.

(Whoa what the hell? I have to get out of here before the clothes come off. Oh shit clothes are coming off. Lissa you are you not Rose.) With a tremendous amount of effort I came back to myself. I was released from the infirmary and allowed to go back to my room. Eddie was back on duty for his trials so he accompanied me from the clinic. I was quiet the whole time and he let me have my time and space to think.

There were so many thoughts running though my head. How on earth didn't I see this before? In retrospect it was so obvious. How long have they felt this way for each other? That answer came to me; it has been building since the beginning. I also realized that they fought against it. I knew that they fought it because I felt the last battle happen when I was in Rose's head. Why didn't she tell me? Understanding hit me like a stab in my heart. ME. I was the reason. Among all the reasons I could think of that they would fight loving each other I was the only reason that would matter to Rose.

Before I could ponder this any farther an alarm sounded. Eddie moved so quickly. He had me out of my room and ushering me down the hall with is stake held tightly in his hand. Realization hit me. We were under attack.

End Flashback.

After the battle was over I had to help heal the wounded. Adrian did what he could but unfortunately he is not very powerful a healer and it takes a lot out of him. I suspect that Dimitri will be able to help Rose deal with the spirit side affects but all the same I was careful not to do too much. I didn't heal anyone completely. Those with life threatening injuries and broken bones were my priority.

I walked into the next room and saw Rose sitting with Dimitri. He lay unconscious. I healed Dimitri's broken bones but left his muscles and bruises heal over time. As I healed him I looked at his Aura so I can better heal his injuries. Rose was by his side but we barely spoke. She was lost in thought with worry for him. What I saw in their aura's astounded me. It was like they were a mirror image of each other and yet there were still subtle differences that marked them as individuals. When I healed Dimitri's shattered shoulder the pulsing red orange color that represented the injury on his aura also lifted from hers. I wasn't sure but I thought I also saw something different about Rose. I don't know what it was but I would have to figure it out later.

"Thank you Lissa."

"No problem Rose. I have to move on to the next patient"

"Hey Lissa?" I turned back to her.

"Lissa, pray for me please. I know where the Strigoi are hiding. We are going after them as soon as the backup Guardians get here and we brief them on the plan. I have to get Eddie back." This was the first time Rose ever asked for prayer.

"I will pray till you come back to me." I had to walk away before I begged her to stay. I know that even if she has not yet graduated; she already has the heart of a Guardian. She cannot stand by idly when she has the power to help.

I did pray for my sister as I waited for her to come back to me. I sat with a bunch of other students at the edge of the campus. This is where the rescuers would be returning. This is where Rose would come through. I could feel that she was injured and I worried that she may not come back alive. She did come back but she was hurt so badly I barely recognized her. Her face was beaten and her nose broken. Three separate sets of fangs had left bruises on her neck. She was bruised and bloody form head to toe and what little clean flesh I could see was so pale that I was sure she had come close to being drained. Her mother looked down at her with worry and love. I had never seen her show any emotion other than disappointment and anger towards her daughter.

The guardians who were carrying Rose's stretcher slowed only a little so I could treat her and walk at the same time. I started on the gouge in her abdomen and as I touched her I felt her soul almost leave but instead she received energy from another source. Dimitri, somehow I knew that Dimitri was lending her strength. I continued to heal her injuries as we made our way to the infirmary. Because of the extent of her injuries and blood loss Dr. Olendzki kept her under sedation. I refused to leave her side so Dr Olendzki gave me permission to stay with her. She assured me that they would only keep her asleep for a couple of days just to give her body a chance to recoup.

I slept next to Rose and contemplated the new bond that she had to Dimitri. A small part of me was afraid that their bond might over rule the one we had but when I let myself open up to her feelings I knew that she was worried about me. She worried how she was going to keep me safe if she was in love with Dimitri. She knew that she couldn't live without either of us. She had to protect both of us. It was obvious that she wanted to protect me from harm. I was a bit confused about how she wanted to protect Dimitri. I opened myself to her further. She worried about his career because she was a student but more than that she was worried about the legal trouble he could get into. How could I forget about the law? No one cared if Dhampirs had sex but they were forbidden to have a relationship. A Dhampir especially a female had to be available to have a relationship or a dalliance with a Moroi male. Dimitri could even face imprisonment if it could be implied that his relationship with Rose kept her from procreating with a Moroi. I held her that night wishing I could change things for her. I was aware of Adrian's presence for a while but he was gone before I woke up.

The next morning Christian came quietly into the room in his hands he held a tray with two cups of coffee, fruit cups and one bagel. I normally would not eat this much but I have used a lot of energy the last few days and I have not gone to the feeders since before the attack. As we ate he told me that he heard that from one of the guardians that his aunt was going to be coming to teach the adult Moroi how to use magic defensively. After I ate he told me he would watch Rose for me and I went to the feeders. I requested Alice in part because she is diabetic therefore her blood is sweet and gives me a little extra kick, and partly because there is never a line to feed from her.

"Hello Princess. How is your friend doing? Does marriage make her happy? I bet she is just glowing marriage and family always makes a young girl glow. Congratulate her for me." I wondered what she was talking about. Could she be referring to the new bond between Rose and Dimitri? No, I think she is just being loony old Alice. I nodded and quickly fed since I wanted to get back to Rose.

When I got back to the room I stayed outside so I could listen to the conversation Chris was having with my sleeping friend. They pretend to hate each other but I know that in truth they are really good friends. They both care for and respect each other like family. They fought side by side during the attack and I think he has grown to love her as much as I do.

"You have to get better Rose. We need you. Lissa is lost without you and so am I. I haven't had anyone to fight with and annoy." I gave a small cough and he looked up at me sheepishly.

He sat with me as I prayed for Rose. Adrian poked his head in the room and asked me how Rose was doing. He looked frantic. I told him that she was doing well and should wake up in the next day or so.

"I have to go tell Dimitri but I will be back with her as soon as I can. Can you stay with her till I get back? Insist on staying by her side no matter who comes in. Oh and Liss don't look Guardian Yuri in the face at all ok?"

He was sounding very nutty and I wondered if he was suffering from spirit insanity.

"OK." I said and he dashed back out the door.

A little while later I saw something happen that scared me. Rose's aura began to flicker and fade in some places. Around her heart I thought I saw a golden ring but it looked fragile like it could crack. The flickering soon stopped and her aura stabilized. It didn't look right. The golden ring no longer looked like it might crack but the color changed to look dull. Over all it looked sick. Her body's health looked fine but her soul was damaged.

This had to do with Dimitri. I knew it did but I don't know how. Just then Adrian came into the room. I squared off at him and shouted.

"What the hell happened to Dimitri?" He looked at me then at Rose's Aura. He fell to his knees.

1. What was Alice trying to tell Lissa?

2. When it comes down to it how do you think Lissa and Chris will take the news about what Tasha has done?

3. Do you think Rose will hate Adrian for going along with the cumpulsion scheme?

Please take my little pop quiz. I love to see the answeres you guys come up with.

Suzanna AKA Snowgoose