Hey everyone!!! I am so so so so so so so SORRY that this took so long to update. But it's been so hard to find computer time and also, we have this stupid research thing that I have to do! Gr, curse school! But I promise that the next chapter will be unpdated within a week. I want to thank everyone who reviewed!! YOU GUYS ROCK BEYOND BELIEF! You are the ones who made me want to update so badly and I'm sorry that I made you wait so long! I made this chapter extra long for y'all! Oh and I tried to make it sound better and more detailed. Oh and thanks to vampfreak290 for providing me with some constructive criticism that made this chapter what it is. Better than the last one. Thanks everyone and now I'm going to let you read!! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own blah, blah, blah...

Chapter Ten

The doctors were rushing frantically, trying to help the wounded guardians whom had somewhat severe injuries. Lissa was momentarily forgotten.

That made me kind of mad; here she was, laying on a bed, unconscious, and they're just ignoring her as if she hadn't just used all her magic on that Strigoi! I knew that there were other people in worse conditions, but that doesn't mean that they should just pretend like she was going to be fine. She most definitely was not going to be fine. She just used an unimaginable power, for god sakes! And they think she'll be fine?! She's in a freakin coma!

My heated thoughts fell as Dr. Olendzki entered the room. She had a somewhat concerned look on her face.

"Is she going to be okay?" I questioned, full of the concern that Olendzki was lacking.

"The truth? I don't know. I've never seen anyone use that much of their magic at once. The fact that she could do it…well, we'll have to wait and see. For now, she'll just have to stay here and rest, until she regains consciousness." I nodded, though the overwhelming terror that Lissa might not wake up was nearly killing me.

"Thanks, doc." I said as she walked out.

I shakily walked over to Lissa's bed, she looked so peaceful, and grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly and then relaxing it.

"Liss, everything'll be okay. I won't let anything hurt you again. I promise." The word promise rung in my ears.

So many promises made. So many broken. Dimitri's promise…I would keep that one.

But how would I find him now? He's probably already left wherever he was. Sigh. What was I thinking? I wouldn't be able to do it. It would be nearly impossible for me to kill him. I loved him. How could I kill the one I loved?

No, I had to do this, I had to be there to keep our promise. I had to keep this one promise; it was the least I could do for all he did for me. I shouldn't be so selfish.

I shook my head, wanting to make all the negativity disappear. It didn't work, but it was momentarily distracted by Christian entering the room. He was carrying a half eaten bagel and sipping out of a juice-box.

I smiled, "Wow, Christian, you look like crap. You know I'm pretty sure that they have plastic surgery to fix that thing you call a face." He threw the remnants of his bagel at me, still slurping down the juice.

He took a breath from the slurping, taking the chance to retort. "You should know. Who did yours, Michael Jackson?"

I took a bite out of his bagel, not bothering to swallow before I talked like mannered people. "Honey, a face this gorgeous is too good for anything intended to make someone less fortunate, more beautiful." He laughed and I stuck my food-filled tongue out at him.

"Is that what they're calling wearing mass amounts of makeup these days? If it is, then I don't know anything."

"You don't know anything." I retorted. "And anyway, you're just jealous."

"Yes, I am definitely jealous of the Queen. For one, she gets to tell people they're ugly without getting back-sassed. Now that would be a dream." He sighed in mock content.

"Also because you desperately want to wear a dress. I hear you, Christian. That would definitely suit you well." I smirked and he narrowed his eyes.

"Hey stupid, just because you want to see my sexy legs, does not mean that I'll wear a freakin dress."

I found this whole conversation extremely hilarious and I couldn't help but laugh. "You call those legs sexy? If you wanna see sexy, just take a look at me!"

"Yeah right, you wish." He said with a chuckle.

"I wish for bigger and better things that you simple brain would never understand." Actually, I just wished for Dimitri…I'm pretty sure anyone could understand that. But he still didn't really know much about me and Dimitri, therefore, I couldn't bring it up. Also because I didn't want to bring it up.

"I can see it now." He said completely ignoring my comment. "You wishing to be as awesome as me."

"I think you got it the other way around."

"Not to be rude, Rose, but I would rather be kissing Lissa than be her guardian."

"Not to be rude, Christie, but I'd rather be guarding Lissa than kissing her." I responded.

"Are you so sure about that?" Was he that stupid?

"Yes, Christie, I am positive that I do not want to kiss my best friend." It was as if I was talking to a two-year-old. Sigh.

"Well if she's your best friend why don't you let her go with you?" Why does everything have to come back to this very subject.

I looked away from him, focusing my narrowed eyes on Lissa so that I could calm down. "It's because she's my best friend that I won't let her do this. You're her boyfriend, why are you letting her out into the dangerous world?"

"Because when she has something to do that's this important, I can't just stop her. And besides, me and you can protect her."

"Well what if we can't? What if there were to many Strigoi and we couldn't fend all of them off. What would you do then?" I closed my eyes, just thinking of the possibility…

"That wouldn't happen." He stated, clearly showing his hostility at the fact that I was right.

"You'd be surprised, Chris. Unexpected things'll happen." My voice decreased in volume, "I never expected Dimitri to…" My voice faded off with the painful thought. "The point is, you shouldn't take chances with her. Because you never know when you're going to lose her." Christian looked at me and put up his middle finger and I sighed. "I'm trying to talk some sense into you, boy. Just, just take care of her." I said, trying to stand up. "I have to get somewhere. Tell me when she wakes up, if…" I was about to tell him, 'if I was still here', but then he'd be trying to tell me to stay.

"'k. Whatever." He said, moving towards where I was sitting, taking hold of Lissa's hand.

"Bye." I gave a quick wave, without a response from Christian, and left out the door.

Geez! Why does Christian always have to ruin all of our hilarious sarcasm-filled fun?!

As I stormed out the door and into the halls of the medical center of the school, I decided that I would go outside and make sure there weren't any more Strigoi. Maybe I'd talk to Yuri.

The walk took what felt like an eternity, but finally, I got there. The guards warily let me out of the gates once more and I walked out of the wards into the slightly lit streets.

I got the unimaginable headache that I always got whenever I was outside of a ward. I focused my attention on where I was and managed to clear it up until it was just a distant hum in the back of my head.

I could now see clearly that the sun was slowly rising, just barely. Desperately, I looked around for any sign of Strigoi or where they came from. Nope, nothing. There was no doubt that Dimitri had left. I let out an exasperated sigh, frustrated to the nth degree.

I crawled back to the point right in front of the wards, but not close enough to be on or in them.

Bringing my legs to my chest as I sat down, I wrapped my arms around them and laid my chin on the tops of my knees. I closed my eyes as silent tears poured down my cheeks.

Dimitri…

They came down more heavily now, followed by quiet sobs and flashbacks of Dimitri's smile. The smile that I lived for. The smile that was gone forever.

"Dimitri!" I cried quietly, not wanting to attract attention, but needing to say his name out loud. "I love you." I whispered so quietly that it was almost inaudible.

I leaned my head onto my knees and my quiet sobs were muffled as they grew in volume and ferocity. I was shaking and I could feel the wetness of my tears sinking through my jeans.

How many times had I cried about Dimitri? Too many to count. Why couldn't I just get over everything already? Why was everything so difficult? Why couldn't I have my happily ever after? Why? Why me!? Why did I have to go through all this? And…why did it have to be Dimitri?

I could feel myself sinking into a further depression. That always happened when I thought about Dimitri. Was it always going to be like this? Or will I eventually harden into an unemotional rock, the only time that I moved being when I fought Strigoi?

The future would bring me surprises, I decided. I just wish Dimitri could be there to live it with me.

"He can't!" I yelled at myself, trying to get myself to quit wishing for the impossible. "He never will, and I have to live with that." I whispered to myself.

I jumped, startled, as a hand touched my shoulder. I looked up and gasped as Adrian sat down beside me.

"Adrian, what-" I said, scooting away, readying myself to stand up and get the hell out of there. I couldn't let anyone see me cry.

"Sh, little Dhampir. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm…fine." he looked at me clearly.

"You don't look fine. Not in the emotional sense, I mean. In the physical sense-"

"Then why'd you ask. Look, Adrian, I have to go. I need to get something." I lied, trying to get away from him. I stood up, wiping the dirt off my jeans.

He stood up too, unfortunately, and grabbed me by the arms, trying to keep me in one place. I laughed darkly, "You think you can keep me here?" I proved my point by easily breaking away from his grasp, walking towards the entrance gates.

"The Strigoi's alive." I shook my head at his confusing nonsense.

"Strigoi are all dead, Adrian. Did you forget that? And what are you even talking about?" I said, turning towards him again. He was still standing in the same position as when I started walking away.

"The one Lissa used her powers on. He's alive." That stopped me dead in my tracks.

"What? No way, I saw him die. He started twitching and then just…died. There's no way he's alive, he's a Strigoi." I was rambling on without even knowing it. I couldn't grasp what he was saying. Not right now.

"No, he's alive. Or, he will be. Just stay long enough to find out. I promise you-" I rolled my eyes, turning away from him.

"Adrian, I'm not going to listen to some ridiculous lie just so you can keep me here a couple of days. I have to go and-" I forgot he didn't know what I was doing while off on my little trip. "I have to go. Soon." I put my hand around one of the bars of the gates, leaning my head on it for a second before I told the guards to let me in. Adrian followed closely behind me.

"Then just wait until Lissa gets better and let us come with you." Why does everyone keep telling me this?!

"No!" I yelled, skidding to a halt. "No one is coming with me! I've told you many times before, and none of that has changed. Now leave me alone." I growled, walking faster than he could go without running.

I had no idea where I was going, but I didn't care. I just needed to get away from it all. Away from everyone.

I stormed throughout the building, all around the school grounds. Everyone that saw me, gasped and got out of my way. Gasping, because they couldn't believe I was here. Getting out of my way because I probably looked scary.

I felt the need to hit someone, suddenly. It was like the ferocity just came from no where, caused by such a small thing like Adrian trying to get me to let them come with me.

I gritted my teeth against this anger, trying to turn it down.

"Hey, Rose! Decided to come back from the commune?" Called a voice from behind me. I had an idea of who it was, and when I turned around, my prediction was confirmed.

Jesse Zecklos.

My vision went red and I stormed towards him. He had a moment of fear shining in his eyes, but it instantly left as my fist connected with his cheek, knocking him out cold. I left him there, continuing on my angry raid.

I couldn't understand where all this rage came from, but through the bond, I could feel that Lissa had finally woken up.

All previous emotions forgotten, I raced back to the nurses station where Lissa was currently staying.

I shoved open the door standing in the doorway, staring at Lissa whom was in a sitting position.

"Liss!" I said, running towards her and embracing her in a vice-tight hug. She stood absolutely still and I pulled back to see what was wrong. "What's going on?" I said, looking around, finally noticing that everyone in our little group thing was here.

"Nothing, Rose. Just…" Eddie spoke out.

"What!?" I urged angrily.

"I'm coming with you, Rose." Lissa said in a quiet voice.

"What? This again!? Come on you guys, how many times are we going to have to go through this before you get it through your heads that I said no!? I'll say it again. No!" I growled, annoyed almost to the boiling point with this 'we're going with you' crap.

"I'm going to save him, Rose. Just let me come with you."

"You're lying! Just leave me alone already!" I yelled at them, putting my hands on my head as if the pressure could take all this away.

"No, I'm not! Just go and see. You'll see it. You'll see that I'm not lying." Lissa continued.

"Stop it already! I'm not going to listen to all of this!" I yelled, turning away and walking towards the door. Eddie stepped in front of it and I was thinking of breaking his arm, but decided to avoid any major violence with my supposed friends. "Get out of my fucking way, Eddie, or I'll break your arm." He looked at me and then warily got out of my way.

"Rose! Please!" Lissa called from the bed, but I swung open the door, needing to get out of here. Before any of them could catch up to me.

I heard someone pursuing me from behind and then sped up to a sprint, knowing there was no way they could catch me.

I left the gates and the wards, stopping in the middle of the street and turning around to face my pursuer. It was Christian, of course. The only one who's not afraid to tell me crap.

"So what? You're just going to leave and keep running away from all your problems? Then just go! Just keep running, see where that gets you." He growled from behind the wards.

"I am not running away!" I yelled the last word loud enough for basically the whole school to hear. "I'm trying to keep a promise. And I'll do that with or without your blessing! I have something I have to do, why can't you understand that?! I'm not running, I'm leaving. And there's absolutely nothing you can do about it." I said, turning away from him and everyone I ever cared about. It was most likely the last time I was going to see them, and it ended in anger and rage.

Some good bye.

So was this better than the last chapter? Please say yes, or no, I guess. Just tell me what you thought about it and I hope that it was good. I actually took my time with this one so hopefully it's as good as I hope it is. Well, anyway, REVIEW please. Without reviews, there would be no story.

Thanks, everyone, for reading!!!!!!!! :D

~Jess