Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or story of Vampire Academy.

VA Chapter 7

I don't know how long I slept for but I was still exhausted. My eyes were puffy, my throat was sore, and my chest hurt. But I could feel something had changed in me. I knew even without opening my eyes that Adrian had stayed. He still held me in his arms. I knew that the more he stayed, the harder it would be to leave if my plan to save Dimitri was successful. But I didn't want him to leave and I didn't know why.

He must have realised that I was awake because he reached up and stroked my hair. "Hey little Dhampir," he said using the nickname only he used for me.

"Hey, to you too." I replied. "You stayed."

"I said I would didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did. I'm so sorry Adrian. That wasn't fair of me to ask you to stay last night. I'll understand if you would rather leave." I said.

"I don't want to leave Rose. But if you want me to, I will."

"No, I don't want that." I laid against his chest trying to make sense of my feelings for him. When I thought of Dimitri, what we had together. I remembered how my soul felt like it was flying. My body would tingle when I looked at his body. My heart would beat like a drum when he came close and looked into my eyes. My breathing would stop when he kissed me. Every feeling, every emotion was almost too much for my body when I was near Dimitri. And then there was our connection. Something that neither of us really understood. We knew each other. Really knew each other. We could pick what the other was thinking and feeling, even when they were buried deep. What we shared was almost 'unreal'.

When I thought of Adrian, I knew there were feelings there, but I also knew they were nowhere near what I experienced with Dimitri. But would they be, if my feelings for my lost soul mate weren't so intense and still so fresh? Maybe I was holding onto the love I have for Dimitri so hard that I was attaching it to Adrian. I knew that I would not be able to answer that question until I was able to either save or kill Dimitri. Only then, would I be able to see what my feelings for Adrian really were.

Sitting up, I turned to look at Adrian. "I need to finish this, one way or another. I have too many emotions coursing through me. Fear, love, loss, pain, confusion... I can't afford any of them. If I let any of those feelings take me over again before I finish this chapter of my life, then they will end up getting me killed. I won't allow that. I can't allow that. Too many people rely on me; the most important one is Lissa. But now the fight is being brought to me and those I care for the most, forcing me to face the hardest battle of my life. Please understand that I now have to focus on what needs to be done. Once it's finished, we'll talk, okay?"

"Yeah, I understand." He said. "So, do I call you Junior Guardian Hathaway now?" A slight smile pulling the right side of his mouth up at the corner. "All work and no play, makes for a boring Guardian you know."

"Oh, I'll play, but the rules have changed. You may end up a little beaten around the edges." I said.

A big grin spread across his face. "Promise? Don't say things like that to me if you don't mean it." He couldn't stop the soft laugh that escaped from his throat.

"Be careful what you wish for buddy, wishes have a habit of turning around and biting you on the ass!" I said with a soft punch to the stomach.

"Speaking of asses...." With that I pushed him off the bed.... His laughs from the floor made me feel a bit better and I really did love our little banters. I never wanted to lose that.

"Out!" I said with a fake grimace. "Plus you need to talk to Eddie."

"Yes ma'am. Your wish is my command." And with one of his bows, he walked to the door and pushed it open. Before leaving, he turned to me with one of his cheeky grins and said, "Gloves off Hathaway, no playing nice."

"Remember those wishes and the pain that could accompany them!" I said shaking my head. He chuckled softly and then he was gone.

Lissa walked in about 30 seconds after Adrian left.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

"Of course you can. Why wouldn't I want you here?"

She just shrugged. "Adrian looks happier." She said while looking at the door he just left through. "He hasn't done real well since they bought you in. He blamed himself for you state of.....well..... What happened? You don't have to answer that if you don't want to."

I decided to tell her; after all, we had promised that there would be no more secrets between us. I told her what happened between Adrian and me after getting back from the shopping fiasco, even she was surprised at the depth of his feelings for me.

"Can I ask why you went to the caves?" she asked.

"I don't know. I didn't even realise I was there at first. And then before I knew it, I was inside on my knees staring at Dimitri's dried blood on the ground. It was more pain than I've ever felt Liss. Something just snapped inside me and everything went blank. Everything about me just stopped. I think there was just too much pain. Then last night, when Adrian said he was leaving, everything started up again. And then I couldn't stop crying."

"I know, we were all outside." She said.

"Who's all?"

"Christian and I, Eddie, your Mom and Alberta. After Adrian went in to see you, we heard you start to cry, we all waited for you to stop. But when you didn't, your mom went to your door and just stood there. I walked up beside her and we both saw how much pain you were in. Rose, your aura was the deepest black I've ever seen, even for you. I came back a few times during the night and each time I looked at your aura, there was less and less black." She sighed and looked at the floor like she was deciding if she should tell me something else.

"And...?" I said. Looking back up to me she said...

"Adrian's aura glowed. He just laid beside you, holding you and...glowed. It was pretty awesome really. Oh, your mom wanted me to call her as soon as there was a change. She'll be here shortly." She winced.

"That's okay Liss. I really need to see her too." I said surprisingly.

We chatted for a while about her and Christian. The love coming through our bond was pleasing to me. All I've ever wanted was Lissa safe and happy. Now I had my head screwed on properly again and Christian had forgiven her, she would now have both.

It wasn't long and the door to my room opened and my mother walked in. Lissa got up off the bed, kissed my forehead and said goodbye, with a mention of coming back after her classes and then left my room.

"Mom, I owe you an apology." I blurted out. "I sort of lost myself there for a while, didn't I? I let my feelings take me over. I put you all in danger, having to leave the safety of the wards to come find me. It won't happen again. Please forgive me." I said.

Sitting down beside me, my mom reached up and put her hand gently on the side of my face. "I'm the one who's sorry Rose. I saw that you were in pain, but I never realised just how much. Nor did I realise just how much you loved Dimitri. I've thought of you as a child for so long now, I guess I didn't expect your feelings for him to be so...."

"Adult?" I said.

"Yeah, adult. I dismissed it as a schoolgirl crush with a mentor who let things go way too far. But I can see now, that what you both shared was deeper than that, and real." She got up from the bed and walked over to the chair, but didn't sit. "I am sorry for that and I'm going to make you a promise Rose. From now on, I will do everything in my power to find Robert Doru and give you the chance to save Dimitri, no matter what. I haven't been there for you growing up, and for that I will always be sorry. But I can be there now."

I couldn't believe what I just heard. Janine Hathaway was becoming my mother more and more each day. After closing my mouth, all I could say was "Thanks mom. I want that more than anything."

After listening to my mother's strength and determination in her words. I gathered myself up and got out of bed. My feelings and emotions would no longer get the better of me. They would never make me hesitate again. "There's work to do and we don't have time for all of this. I forgot what I am there for a while. That won't happen again. Let's go, people to see, places to go, and all that!"

"So true Guardian Hathaway, so true." She said.

"Mom, I'm not a Guardian yet..." I reminded her.

"Yes, you are Rose; they just haven't put the mark on your neck yet." She said with a wink. "I'm proud of you Rosemarie. I'm proud to call you my daughter, for many reasons. Your strength over the last few months has astounded me."

"Ah, Mom, did you not see me in the last 48 hours? Strength is not a word I would associate with my recent behaviour." I said.

"I would, not many people can come out the other side of that pain Rose, but you did. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for. Now let's get planning shall we?" she said taking me by the waist and leading me out of the clinic.

Once back in my room, I got showered and dressed. It wasn't long before Lissa and Christian turned up. "I went to the clinic and they told me you'd busted out." she said with a hesitant smile.

"Yeah....Can't keep a good woman down for too long you know. Lissa, we all need to get to Court. We need those plans. How soon do you think we can you get in to see the Queen?"

"Already done Rose, we're just waiting on you. We can leave as soon as you're ready." She informed me. "Are.... you alright?"

"I'm fine." I said a bit abrupt. "We just need to get organised. Too much time has been wasted already. Can you call the airport; I can be ready to leave in an hour." I said. I saw the look between Lissa and my Mom, both unsure if my new demeanour was a good thing or not.

Just then, mom's phone rang. After a few muffled words and a quick thank you, she closed the phone. "That was your father. He's seen Oksana and Mark and they're all on their way. They'll be here early next week."

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