When Rose finally exited, I looked up to see Dimitri's gaze had gone to the floor.

"Adrian, I-." I cut him off with a shake of my head.

"It's okay, Belikov. I get it."

"No, Adrian… You're wrong. It isn't okay. Don't think it's okay with me that I pursued your girl. It's not. I hate myself for it." He said. As much as I hated the man before me, I believed him. I could see the guilt in his aura and his eyes.

"Tell me something Belikov, if you could go back and do it different, would you?" I asked. I watched as so many emotions crossed his face, before he reined them in, and his guardian mask became prevalent.

"No, I wouldn't do it differently." He admitted. I fought back the urge to wince, but instead I nodded once.

"Thank you for at least being honest with me." I said, happy that he'd done that much.

"And my reason for that has nothing to do with you. It's her… you have no idea how-."

"I don't want to hear about how much you love her, and how irresistible she is. Trust me, I've heard and I know." I said, snapping at him.

"I have so much respect for you, Adrian… I really do. I feel horrible about the way things turned out."

"I know you do." I said, trying not to sound sarcastic when I said it.

"She does love you, Adrian." I looked up and met his gaze then.

"You don't know how much I wish it were enough. If you would have given me some time, stuck with your 'my love faded' bullshit, I could have made her happy. We could have been together like-." He nodded.

"I know. I don't doubt that for a second. I know you love her, Adrian. You being here right now is proof of that. I don't expect your forgiveness, nor do I want it, but I want you to know that I not sorry for what happened. I'm sorry for the way it happened. We should have told you sooner, we should have-." I shook my head.

"If we're being honest, I can tell you right now I'll never forgive you. I'm not even sure how to start forgiving Rose, but Belikov… I lost all respect for you." I said. He nodded.

"I don't deserve your respect anymore." He said.

"I'm glad you know." I told him. He nodded once, and turned to walk out the door Rose and the other had exited out of. I quickly slipped out the back door, wanting to get away from the chaos I'd just walked back into. I walked around the back of court, and started to walk back in when I saw something sitting on the bench off in the distance. I stood there for a second, before I realized it was Jill. I started that way, and smiled as I reached her.

"Hey there Jailbait." She looked up, and her face lit up a bit as she saw me.

"Adrian." She wrapped her arms around my waist. "I heard you were back, but I didn't believe it."

"How are you kid?" I asked. She released me, and looked down.

"I've been better, but I'm okay." She admitted.

"How's being a princess work-." She cut me off before I could finish.

"I'm not a princess."

"I actually think you are. You're the sister of the queen."

"I don't want to be a princess. All those little girls who said they wanted to be one when they grew up are freaking stupid." She said.

"Someone's gotten saucier since I last saw them." I said. She giggled and turned a little red. She was still that timid, and shy little girl I remembered when I'd left this place behind.

"This princess and royal crap is getting on my last nerve."

"It can be pretty tiring."

"It's freaking ridiculous." She said. I nodded. "Where have you been?" She asked.

"Out, taking care of some things."

"I heard you left because of Rose."

"Anything else you've heard that I should know about?" I asked, my mood plummeting even more.

"No, but I'm sorry about what happened." She said.

"Thanks." I said, not sure what else to say. She nodded.

"The way I look at it, she was an idiot." I knew she was only fifteen, but hearing someone besides Eddie say it made my heart swell. I smiled.

"Thanks." I said. I sighed. "Look, I've got to go. I'll see you around Jill." She giggled.

"What?" I asked.

"You called me Jill." I smiled.

"Sorry Jailbait." I said, before walking inside. As I started towards the Ivashkov wing, I cut through the Voda wing, hoping I'd run into her, but I didn't. As I started into my room, Eddie called my name. I stopped and looked up.

"Hey, where'd you disappear to?"

"I was ready to get out of there. Atmosphere was to tense." I told him. He nodded.

"I don't blame you." He admitted. "What'd Dimitri say to you?"

"He just told me how sorry he was and how much he wished things had happened differently, and all that. Shit I have heard a million times." I said.

"And what'd you say to most of it."

"Whatever came to mind." I admitted. He rolled his eyes.

"So now I have to protect you from Dimitri?"

"No, we're cool." I said. He nodded.

"Good." He said. I was silent for a second, before I walked inside, with him following. "How are you holding up?"

"Better than I planned, to be honest." I said. I really wanted to see Sabrina, but I had no clue how to find her. I thought about knocking on Logan's door, but I wasn't sure she was there and I had no idea where her room was.

"I'm glad you're holding up okay."

"Me too." I admitted.

"You seem distracted." He said.

"I'm fine."

"What is it?" He asked.

"Nothing." I said.

"Sabrina?" He asked. My head snapped up, wondering how he knew that. I quickly looked away.

"No. Why would you-." He cut me off.

"Don't give me that crap, Adrian. I know better."

"Whatever. Yeah, I kind of want to talk to her." I admitted. He smirked.

"I'm so good. I'm learning to read you, Ivashkov." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Can you help me or not?" I asked. He smiled.

"I'll be back. I can find out what room she's in." He said. He started towards the door, but stopped. "Your not going to like… stalk her or anything, are you?" I rolled my eyes.

"Go find out what damn room she's in." I snapped. He chuckled, and disappeared. I rolled my eyes and grabbed a glass and my bottle of vodka, and poured me one, needing a pick-me-up. I'd been back at court for at least two hours and this was my first drink. I was proud. I finished it right as Eddie came back. She's in room six-twenty. I nodded.

"I'll be back later." I said.

"Behave." He told me. I rolled my eyes as I started across court to the guardian wing. I sincerely hoped she was there. After last night, I felt I needed to see her face to face. When I knocked, no one answered. I waited for a few more seconds, and heard what sounded like someone get up and come to the door.

"What do you-?" She cut herself off when she met my gaze. "Adrian." She murmured.

"Hey."

"What… what are you doing here?" She asked.

"I live here." I said, smirking slightly.

"You… you came back? I thought-." I shook my head.

"This is my home." I said. "Actually you inspired me to come back." I told her. Her face fell slightly.

"Would you like to come in?" I nodded as she opened the door, allowing me to step inside. Her room was the same normal layout that just about all the other rooms here in court were, but strangely… I felt comfortable here.

"Adrian, what I said about you being selfish… you didn't have too-." I automatically realized what she meant. She'd called me selfish because I was living in the city while my friends here missed me. Yeah, it cut a little deep, but it wasn't the reason I came back.

"It had nothing to do with that, to be honest. People call me selfish all the time, Eddie in particular." I said, smirking slightly.

"Then, what?"

"When you told me about the promise you made your father, how you stay with Voda because you feel obligated to, not because you wanted to, it made me realize I was being a coward. I was running from my problems, where you stay right besides yours, no matter what. I realized that no matter how I feel about this place, or the people I was trying to avoid by leaving, this is my home… and if I ever want to be strong… I have to learn to face them." I told her. When I looked up to meet her eyes, I realized that she actually looked a little rough. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she looked like she'd tossed and turned all night. She didn't say anything. She walked over to her couch and sat down. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just didn't get much sleep last night." Automatically, I felt guilty.

"Sabrina, I'm sorry. I-." She cut me off.

"No, it wasn't your fault. I was barely sleeping when you showed up. If anything you helped me sleep longer." She said. I could see in her eyes she was lying. I didn't comment on it though. She rubbed her arm, causing the sleeve of her shirt to life the slightest bit. Underneath it, I could see a hint of purple and blue on her arm.

"What is that?" I asked, walking over towards her.

"What?"' She asked, meeting my gaze.

"On your arm. Is that another bruise?" I asked her. I was seriously starting to question what was really going on, like I was missing some big picture.

"Oh, it's nothing. I ran-. I ran into the door this morning when I woke up. I bruise easily." She fumbled, trying to find an excuse. I didn't believe her in the slightest, although I nodded as if I did.

"Do you want me too-." She shook her head.

"I'll live, Adrian. It's just a bruise."

"I know, but still…" I said. She shook her head.

"I'll be fine." I just nodded. I walked around the room, looking at pictures, and things on her wall. "You're room has such a homey feel to it. Mines like a prison."

"Have you ever been to prison?"

"No, but I've inside of a prison."

"Then you have no idea what you're talking about." She said, smirking. I rolled my eyes and went to sit down next to her. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm glad your back." She said. I smiled.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but… I'm glad to be back… sort of." I said. It was quiet for a minute, before she looked at me.

"I sort of blew up at you a little bit last night, and I wanted to apologize for that, Adrian." She murmured.

"Don't worry about it. It isn't the first time you've blown up at me anyways. It's easy to get over now that I'm used to it." I told her, elbowing her. She started to speak when her door opened, and in strolled Logan.

"I thought we were meeting at ten for lunch?" He asked. Then, his eyes fell on me and he grimaced slightly. "I heard you were gracing court with your presence again, Lord Ivashkov." Usually, I hated when people addressed me by my title, but when he did it, I liked it, just because it meant I was higher up than he was, and definitely more important than he'd ever be.

"I'm sorry Logan. I woke up late, and Adrian stopped by." His eyes fell on her, and the look he gave her almost made me lose it. Why I felt so protective over her, I wasn't sure, but the way he looked at her, treated her made my blood boil. I wasn't ever one to want to get into physical altercation, but I wanted to beat the shit out of this guy.

"Go get dressed, and meet me at the café." He told her. He wasn't asking if she still wanted to go, he was commanding her to meet him there. I shook my head slightly. "Good day Lord Ivashkov." He said, before bowing out. When he was gone, Sabrina's eyes fell on me, even though I was glaring at the spot he'd been standing.

"Adrian-." I turned to her.

"I hate him."

"Don't. He just-." I cut her off.

"No, stop defending him. How can you stand to throw your body between a strigoi and someone so unworthy, someone who treats you like that? I demanded.

"It's my job."

"Your job is shit." I growled. She looked down, and nodded.

"I know." She murmured. I watched as a tear fell from her face and hit the floor. I instantly felt back. I knelt down in front of her and met her gaze. I wiped the few stray tears away, and sighed.

"I'm sorry I keep getting worked up. I'll behave now. I don't want you to cry." I murmured.

"I'm not crying because of you… I'm crying because you're right and there's nothing I can do."

"I'm so sorry, Sabrina." I murmured, pulling her to stand, and into my arms. She buried her face into my shoulder as I wound my arms around her waist. When I pulled away, I took her face in my hands.

"I'm going to go. You go to lunch with him, and if you want… afterwards you can come by my room." I said. She met my gaze for a second, then nodded.

"Okay." She murmured. I kissed her forehead, and stepped away before I could do something I regretted.

"I'll see you later." I said, before walking out and closing the door behind me. I took a deep breath as I stood outside her door, before heading to the opposite side of court. As I headed that direction, I saw my mother coming. I could tell she was looking for me.

"Adrian…" She said, jogging towards me. I smiled. When she reached me, she wrapped her arms around me. "Is it true? Are you home now?"

"It's true." I said, holding her. She pulled away and smiled.

"I'm so glad. I've missed you so much, and I was so worried." She said, hugging me again.

"I told you I'd be fine." I told her, smiling, trying to play it up for her.

"What made you come home?" She asked. I wasn't going to tell her the truth. The last thing I needed was her relationship pep talk, and all that.

"Just decided I was tired of running from my problems." I told her. She smiled.

"I'm proud of you son. You're becoming such a man." She told me. I rolled my eyes.

"I've got to go, Mom. I'm meeting Lissa. I'll see you around, okay?" She nodded, and kissed my forehead before I took off towards the Ivashkov wing, hoping I'd beat her there. As I walked, I saw Dimitri and Rose standing outside the front doors of court talking. Rose looked like she was yelling at him, but you could never be sure. Seeing them together made my heartache, but I watched anyway, looking for any sign that maybe they'd been right. Maybe somewhere in her, she really did sort of love me. He reached forward, pulling her into his arms. Even from inside the door, I watched her close her eyes and sigh in contentment. When she opened her eyes, she looked directly at me. I quickly averted my gaze, and kept walking. I figured she'd come inside and follow me, but the door never opened. I kept walking, and continued to my room. As I got inside, Eddie was already gone. I walked into my bedroom to find my bottle of scotch next to the bed with a glass. I shook my head. After the break up, that's what I needed to wake up every morning. If I didn't have some kind of alcohol coursing through my blood, I wouldn't make it. I grabbed the bottle and the glass, and poured some before sipping it as I sat down at the counter. I remembered back to all of the things Sabrina had told me. I was still trying to figure so much out, my brain felt like it was going to explode. I wanted Logan Voda to explode. He didn't deserve her at all. She was amazing, and beautiful, and so many other things, but Logan obviously didn't cherish any of them the way he ordered her around. If memory serves, his entire family was like that though. They were the snobbiest of the royals, but the least important, and they were all horrible, horrible people. I wasn't a saint, and that I knew, but when you order people around the way they do, treat people the way they do, it's a disgrace to our kind. I sat there for at least a good hour and a half. I supposed Sabrina wasn't coming by, because she didn't show. As I sat there though, something she'd said to me stuck with me. She'd told me as Logan got older, he was becoming his father, and I wasn't sure why but I felt like that was important. I started thinking about Logan's father, Benjamin Voda. He was a dick as well. My father hated that man with a passion. He was also a recovering alcoholic, and we heard all kinds of stories of how he beat the shit out of his wife when he was unhappy with her, or when he w as just unhappy in general, but you never got her to stand up and say it was true. We all knew it was. When you're recovering from alcohol, you sometimes go into rage fits, and need something or someone to beat the shit out of, and he chose her. It was then that it clicked. The bruises, the reasons she was fumbling with telling me where they'd come from, why she'd been hesitant to let me heal them. He was beating her. He was beating the hell out of her, and she was taking it. I was up out of my barstool and out the door before I could even form the thought of what I was doing. When I reached her room, I knocked twice and flung the door open. She was on the couch with a cup of coffee and a blanket wrapped around her. She looked so fragile, but I didn't let it stop me.

"He's beating you, isn't he?" I growled. She was off the couch.

"What? NO! He'd-." She started, but I cut her off. I could see in her aura and in her eyes she was lying.

"Don't lie to me, Sabrina. Look me in the eye and tell me he hasn't been using you as his own personal punching bag." I snapped.

"It's not like that." She said, looking away. A bright pink color filled her aura. It was almost relief, like she was relieved to have someone know the truth.

"Then what's it like, Sabrina? I know you don't do anything to stop him. You take it, how the hell could you stand-." She shook her head, and a light sob shook her body.

"I'm so tired of you, Adrian. My life was fine, just normal until you came along. I didn't over think things, or wish I was somewhere else like I do now. I never questioned my job before you, because I knew it was what I had to do, but ever since you've came along, I don't know anything anymore."

"Your life was fine? Normal? He's beating the shit out of you, Sabrina. I wouldn't call that a normal life." I growled at her. I couldn't believe it.

"It wasn't something I wasn't used too. My life has always been routine. I woke up every morning, got dressed, and guarded Logan. It's what I did. If I got hit a few times, so be it. He was angry, or frustrated, and I had to take care of him. He's a pain in the ass, yes… but he was my pain in the ass. I was used to it. Now that you've entered my life, it's fallen all out of whack. I'm doing things I shouldn't, thinking about things I shouldn't. This isn't my routine, and your making me question all of it."

"That's a good thing. That means you can see how fucking ridiculous what your doing is." I told her. She shook her head and looked down.

"I don't want to question it Adrian. You don't understand how-." I walked over to her, and took her face in my hands. She avoided my eyes.

"Look at me, Sabrina." She wouldn't do it. I took a deep breath. "Please, look at me." I murmured, lowering my voice to just a whisper. She looked up and I bet her soft blue eyes full of pain, full of suffering. "You do not deserve this. You know that as well as I do. Your bust your ass for him, and he does nothing for you in return."

"He gives me something to do with my life. He gives me a purpose." I shook my head.

"No, that is not the way to think about it. You should know better than this. Listen to me, I know what you promised your father, but if he knew what Logan was doing to you, what you've been dealing with for so long, he'd never make you keep that promise." I said.

"You're wrong. My father would want me to protect him no matter what." She said, tears still steadily streaking down her face.

"No, you're wrong. He wouldn't want-." She cut me off, pushing me away from her.

"No, stop it. You're trying to talk me out of my job. I'm his guardian, Adrian. I protect him, no matter what." She yelled.

"You're being stupid, listen to yourself. You supposed to be strong, not let people push you around." I snapped at her, anger filling me.

"You don't know what you're talking about. You don't know him like I do. He's trying to be better, but-." She started, but I stopped her.

"No, God damn it. Stop it. Stop making excuses for the sorry, good-for-nothing piece of shit. He's nothing. His family isn't important, and he isn't either. You're beautiful, and strong, and smart, and purely amazing, and he doesn't see you for any of that. He sees you as a piece of meat at his disposal. You are a guardian, and yes it's your job to protect him, but you're also a woman, and he needs to treat you as such." I said. The rant took a little bit, so when I was done, she was staring at me. I looked down, and shook my head. An uncomfortable silence fell over the room as I tried to regain my composure I'd just lost on her. "Look, I didn't-."

"You think I'm beautiful?" She asked. She would pick that line to hang onto. I nodded once.

"I do. You don't deserve what he's doing to you." I said. She looked down.

"What else am I gonna do? Without him… I have nothing." She said. The next words leaving my lips without even thinking about it, but as soon as I said them, I realized that I meant them.

"Be my guardian."

"You have Eddie." She said.

"Eddie was my guardian because I left, not because he really wants to be. The boy wants to be on his own, not following me around like a puppy. Plus, he hardly gets to do anything when he's with me."

"And what makes you think I want to follow you around like a puppy?" She asked. The tense atmosphere in the room shifted.

"Most women do." I said, snarkily. She smiled, which was definitely a good thing. She looked down and back up.

"Adrian… I can't leave him… I'm sorry." She murmured, sad expression filling her face as she met my eyes. I walked over to her and took her face in my hands.

"You need to realize you're settling for less by being his guardian." I said, looking deep into her eyes. I wasn't sure how it happened, or which of us did it, but before I knew it, her lips were on mine. They were soft and warm, and felt like home. It almost made me feel like I felt kissing Rose. It was then, I pulled away from her, that thought being like a bucket of cold water on me.

"I'm sorry… I don't know what-." I shook my head.

"I have to go." I told her. Here I was, running again.

"No, Adrian… please don't." She said. It was too late; I was already out the door.