Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.


Rose Hathaway

I assessed the group in the elevator. There were my parents, who were holding onto each other for dear life, I was going to have to investigate that, whatever that was, later on. Standing awkwardly next to them was my ex-mentor, who despite having just been taking for a roller coaster elevator ride was looking only slightly ruffled. Alberta, who was the only composed one in the group, looked just as amused I was. And of course, there were the rest of the Guardians, who looked like they were either going to throw up or crap their pants, or a revolting combination of both.

The elevator next to this one pinged as well, the door opening to reveal even more nauseous Guardians, this one being headed by Eddie, who stepped out of the elevator excitedly, looking about the airport. He always did like visiting other realms.

"Where are we?" He asked.

"Galium Interdimensional Airport, four hours away from the Caelum Interdimensional Airport. It's the only airport with a large enough portal to transport all of you guys without overloading and sending us to some foreign dust land." I explained in full no-nonsense-badass Elite Agent mode as Eddie nodded along.

"Okay then, come along Guardians, get out of the elevators and follow me. We still have about one hundred and seventy more of you to transport here. Come on. " I called out to the group, turning and walking through the airport through the security checkpoint. I didn't need to check if they were following, I was basically the mother duck leading a group of lost new born ducklings into this big new scary world. Some of the regular travelers eyed the group of Guardians, but most were hurrying about to their destinations or lounging, waiting for their flights. The news over the past few weeks was full of the Elite Council members and Head Guardian Gemina Croft speaking out about the olive branch we had offered Moroi Court, their subsequent acceptance, and the training programs we were developing to train their Guardians.

Approaching the line at the security gate, this is where I was so very glad I was an Elite Agent, I finally paused, turning back to the group.

Oh good, they had kept up.

"Okay, guys, you know the drill. As your eyeballs can see, this is a security gate. Simply put your bags on the baggage scanner, and then please go through the machine. It is not a metal detector nor is it an x-ray machine or one of those machines that allows people to see your naked. Trust me, no one wants to see any of you naked. It will scan you for any dangerous materials, and all you need to do it stand still. Also, I want to reiterate please do not take any clothes off. Any questions?"

Alberta and the newbie Guardians shook their heads no. Eddie looked like he really wanted to make a crude joke after my naked comment, but his Guardian training was preventing him from doing it. Dimitri was eying me with a peculiar look on his face, though when he caught my gaze his Guardian mask slammed back on his face. And then there were my parents, different as night and day. My mother actually looked indignant; as if she was shocked she had to be taking orders from her daughter.

Or maybe she was still pissed about the whole breaking-into-St. Vlads-head-butt-thing.

Then there was my father. The Old Man, still wearing his ridiculous ensembles, today it was a black pin stripe suit with a neon yellow tie, matching pocket square and brilliant violet scarf, actually looked amused. He had that signature Mazur smirk that I had inherited, and was nodding along, his body language relaxed compared to the rigid stances of the Guardians. He never took his eyes off me either, my mom too, as if the two of them where afraid that once they looked away, I would disappear.

Quite frankly, it was starting to creep me out.

"Okay then, see you on the other side." I said, in full Elite Agent Mazur mode before turning and moving to the area next to the main line, the line for us special few, namely the Elite Agents and Guardians, our Guardians.

"Agent Mazur," the security agent nodded as I walked through the metal detector, flashing my Elite ID card, and my Elite crest pendant in full view.

"Thank you," I nodded, trying to hide my smile as I passed all the suckers waiting in the regular line. Yes, it was good to be an Elite agent.

Moving out of the security area to wait for my group, I suddenly had a coffee cup placed in my hand, full of my favorite chai tea, and a doughnut, courtesy of Josh.

"So, the big, kinda scary Russian? He's staring at you," Josh grinned, looking over my shoulder, "been staring for quite a while actually."

Walking into my Potions and Brews I class, was much like walking into one of those cool laboratories you see in the movies, you know, the one belonging to the crazy mad scientist. Scanning the rows, we seemed to be seated in pairs, and considering I did not know most of these people, this was going to be difficult. Walking down the aisle, trying not to show that I was way out of my element here, I finally came across an empty seat with a decent looking guy occupying the one next to it.

He had short dark brown hair, shaven close at the sides, formed into a semi faux hawk. When I cleared my throat to get his attention, he turned, revealing to me an open, friendly face.

"Hey," he smiled cheerfully at me, showing off a set of adorable dimples. His dark brown eyes reminded me so much of Eddie, so full of joy and friendliness, with just a hint of curiosity.

"Hi. Can I sit here?" I asked, mentioning toward the empty seat next to him.

"Of course! Of course!" He nodded, clearing away his stuff to make room for me.

"Thanks. I'm Rose by the way."

"Josh. Nice to meet you new Potions buddy," he smiled that happy smile again, and this time, I couldn't help but smile back. This guy's happiness was freaking infectious.

"Right back at ya. So…uh, you know anything about Potion making?" I asked, a little sheepishly.

"Well, let's see, the last time I took Potions was Elementary Potions back in high school and the first day there I managed to brew a potion that turned my experimental frog bright yellow and go crazy, attacking my professor, when it was make him have extra spring in his hop. Yeah," he added at my surprised look, "needless to say, I was not a favorite of Professor's Kramp. Not that I really cared, the man was an incompetent ass." he snickered.

I smiled, thinking of Stan Alto, "I had a teacher like that, once hid a small box of frogs in his desk! When he open the drawers, BAM, slimey green things everywhere," I laughed as Josh did as well.

"Nice! This one time…"

Josh and I would spend the rest of the time before class started recounting stories of our debauchery to one another, and then continue during lunch, where he showed me Mase's Diner, now my favorite place to go hen I just wanted some good old comfort food. Josh was truly like the little brother I never had. He reminded me so much of Eddie and a little bit of Mason; kind (everyone loves Josh), charming, caring, always looking to have fun, but knowing when to take stuff seriously. And when it was time to introduce Eddie and Josh, the two hit it off immediately, forming a cute bromance of sorts.

"He's been staring more at her bum than her actual self," Ben snorted as he walked past us, breaking me out of my reverie. He was headed in the other direction, no doubt going to collect the next group coming in.

"Shut up!" I cried, rolling my eyes and swatting his arm.

"Nothing to be ashamed of my love, it's a perfectly lovely bum you have," he called out as he began walking out of the security area.

"Thanks! I've been working on it," I called back, giving myself a little pat on the backside.

"You two and your antics," Josh laughed, "Belikov does not look pleased. Neither do your parents for that matter."

"Belikov's just mad that he gave up the right to get a piece of said sweet ass," Isabella smirked at she arrived, coming to stand next to us.

"I'd be pissed too if I were him," Lev grinned, wagging his eyebrows suggestively as he and Denis and Arthur, our very own Three Musketeers, walked past to retrieve more of the groups coming in.

When I first joined the Elite, I had learned that the Elite would never turn away anyone who was willing to dedicate themselves and work hard through their training. I thought about Denis, Lev, and Artur. I was pretty sure they were still unpromised, still just fighting Strigoi near and around Baia when they could be learning and doing so much more. After retrieving Denis' phone number and tracking them down, I told them about the Elite and Caelum, and how in the short time I had been here I could already feel that this place, this organization was different from the Guardians. They had been hesitant, as none of them as ever left Russia before, the enticing picture I gave then of the Elite, of an organization that was actually getting out there and fight, an organization that actually respected their Agents, eventually won them over. A few months after I had arrived, the boys did too, having to go through the exact same rigorous training I did.

Over the years they had kept me busy, but entertained, with their ridiculous antics. Seriously, I now knew what people with younger siblings felt like now.

"Yeah, I mean, I would forever be remembered as the idiot that destroyed his privileges to see Rose Mazur's sweet ass and-"Denis was cut off abruptly.

"Can we please stop talking about my ass?!" I cried exasperatedly, in mock annoyance, my comment unintentionally catching the attention of the crowd.

Eddie and Adrian were smirking, my mom looked scandalized, my old man actually laughed, and Dimitri…

"Oh God, big scary Russian glaring at us. That's our cue to leave." Lev muttered, the three of them scurrying off.

"Incredible," Josh observed, "the man can go from pissed off caveman to civilized Guardian in less than three seconds."

Turning a bit, I caught a glimpse of Dimitri right before he turned to retrieve his luggage. Josh was right, Dimitri was in full, calm Guardian mode, though he did retrieve his bags from the machine rather roughly.

"You all suck," I whined, though I couldn't hide the slight smirk on my face.

"But we're your suck people…?" Josh trailed off.

"That comment was so much better planned out in your head wasn't it?" Isabelle smirked.

"Yeah, a lot better," Josh nodded, the three of us laughing.

Isabelle was one of the first people I had met when I joined the Elite. While I was going through my schooling, I was given an apartment near the campus, and she was my roommate.

I fumbled with my keys a little bit as I tried to open the door to my new apartment. To say I was shocked when I found out that I would be given an actual apartment, not a dorm, was an understatement. Still, I was incredibly grateful to the Elite for giving me this opportunity. Finally, I got the door opened, and stepped in.

The apartment was nice and bright and clean. Taking a few steps in, I found to my immediate right, a small but modern looking kitchen. The rest of the room was taken up by the large living room with a small hallway I assumed led to the bed rooms. The walls of the living room were painted a light greyish-blue. Large windows took up a wall, letting in plenty of light and offering a gorgeous view of the city.

Walking in further, I tentatively started to head toward the hallway, wanting to check out the bedrooms, when I heard a door opening and footsteps coming toward me.

Tensing, I prepared myself to fight an intruder, when a girl appeared. She had the same stance as I held, the two of us simply standing and observing each other.

She was rather tall, though she was wearing a pair of ridiculously high boots. Without the boots, I would put her at a good three inches taller than me, probably placing her near 5'9". Her long raven black hair was pulled up into a tight bun and smokey eyeliner lined her light hazel eyes, highlighted by slender eyebrows that framed her face perfectly. Her pale skin was marred with the marks that showed she was Nephilim. She was wearing a long black maxi dress, accessorized with heaps of gold and silver jewelry paired with fabulous black leather boots and matching gloves. However, the thing that caught my eye the most was the gold whip wrapped around her arm. From the little weaponry I had seen, I knew that was the whip that could electrocute three grown men with one flick, the thing was lethal.

And this girl was wearing it like it was some sort of accessory.

All in all, she looked like the perfect bitch.

She eyed me the same way I eyed her, with some guarded caution and some criticism that made me stand up straighter. She smirked at that.

"Isabelle," she said simply, the smirk still plastered on her face. I'm assuming that's her name.

"Rose," I nodded.

She nodded as well, "I'm assuming you're my new roommate," she eyed me again with that critical glaze of hers, which I was seriously getting tired of, and let out a sigh, as if she was disappointed by who had showed up at her doorstep.

No shit, Sherlock. "Who the hell else would I be?" I countered.

Finally, the Bitch Look dropped from her face and she laughed. It sounded like tinkling bells.

"I think we'll get along just fine. Hey! Love those boots," she smiled, gesturing toward my old combats with cool silver buckles on them, "where'd you get them?"

According to others in the team, Isabelle and I could have been twin sisters in a past life. We were both flirts, (though the general consensus was the Isabelle was a bigger one than I) and we were rather proud of our abilities, our looks, and we both loved the thrill of the Elite missions. And yes, we were both considered "bitchy" at times, though we personally think that is the greatest compliment of them all. Christian, that little shit, joked we could rule hell together one day.

I was brought back to the present by the sound of Isabelle's phone going off. Looking at the screen, she smirked that signature smirk again.

"Looks like I'm up. I'm just hoping I don't that a hurler in my group," she sniffed before leaving.

Soon, my group was done was security and Josh's was nearly done. Waving goodbye, I led my group over to the waiting area. We still had at least an hour before take off time.

"Okay, we're going to be here a while, so feel free to browse the shops for a while. Please meet back here within the hour for boarding. And please, don't get lost." I instructed, not really letting anyone ask anything, before heading off to wander a bit. I had nothing else to do, and the others would not be back for a while.

I had finished my Chai and was throwing it away when I felt his presence behind me. I was assuming he was a few shops down from me, so I continued walking a bit, pretending that I didn't know he was following me. Ducking into one of the Duty Frees, I hid behind one of the shelves, watching, trying to hold back laughter, as he came into the store and began looking around. He looked as if he was browsing the tax free goods, looking carefully behind every display and shelf, though the sales people were starting to eye him curiously. I mean, the guy was pretty intimidating.

Finally taking pity on him and the nervous looking sales people, I approached him just has he was pretending to observe some fancy scarf.

Tapping him on the shoulder, he turned, and for the first time in five years, we made eye contact.


This chapter was meant to be longer, but I felt that this was a good stopping place.

Next chapter, we'll meet the rest of Rose's team, see who our mystery guy is, and have even more reunions. Also, if you left me a question in a review, it will be answered in the next chapter.

Happy Easter if you celebrate it; if you don't, happy weekend! See you next time!