Chapter Ten: Roommates

All of my friends, besides Adrian, stared at me for a minute as if I had grown an extra head. Then Christian started laughing. I mean a hearty, full laugh that Santa Clause might give.

"Oh wow," he said once he got his laughter under control. "That was a good one Rose." I glared at him and I kind of wished I could stab him with the daggers my eyes were shooting at him. He looked at my face and his mouth dropped.

"Holy shit, you're serious!" he exclaimed in surprised shock.

I nodded and Eddie looked over to Adrian. Before anyone could even ask I held up my hands. "It's not Adrian's."

"Then," Lissa asked in confusion. "Who's is it?" I fidgeted. "I can't say right now." At their looks of hurt and confusion I quickly made to assure them.

"It's not that I don't trust you guys it's just that well, someone has made a very serious threat against my baby and I can't tell anyone a whole lot. I haven't even told my mom or Dimitri anything besides that I am pregnant."

Lissa looked horrified at the thought of anyone hurting my baby and the guys looked almost sick. No matter what, anyone that would threaten a child was sick and twisted. I hoped Christian would never know it was his aunt that made him feel so disgusted.

"That's why you ran?" Lissa asked me as she walked over and looked me in the eye. She looked hurt and a little angry. I nodded with tears in my eyes and She looked at me with tears in her own eyes. "Why didn't you tell me Rose? I'm your best friend, we tell each other everything." She was getting mad now.

I shook my head. "You don't get it. I couldn't tell anyone. I still can't stay here, not while I'm pregnant. I have to go back. I have some friends that took me in and they are waiting for me. They said they'd look after my baby until it was safe for him, but during my pregnancy, I need to stay with my friends."

"Are you telling me you won't be my guardian?" Lissa asked me, shocked. I nodded sheepishly.

"Not until after my baby is born. I'll go to Court with you, but then I have to leave so my baby is safe. Dimitri will take care of you Lissa, you know he will."

"But Dimitri isn't my best friend Rose. I'm pretty sure he won't talk about boys and clothes with me." She frowned and I laughed and hugged her tightly. I knew this would hurt her feelings, but I could feel through the bond she was just a little hurt that I hadn't confided in her.

"I'm sorry Lissa. How about when I go into labor you'll be one of the first ones I call." Lissa smiled and hugged me. I was forgiven, until she found out who the father was, I mean.

I looked to the others I knew they'd try and protect me, but I also knew just who they were wanting to protect me from and I didn't want them to be in that position. It wasn't fair to them. It wasn't fair to Dimitri, or Christian, or Lissa, or even my mom.

My friends and I sat down and talked and caught up for a while.

"Hey Rose?" Lissa asked me. "How far along are you anyway?" I thought about the conception and then counted. "I'm almost three months, I think. I got pregnant the day the Academy was attacked. Right before actually."

Christian nodded. "Yup that was almost three months ago." I yawned. Creating life sure made a girl tired.

"I'm going to take a nap." I said as I stood up. "I'll see you at lunch Lissa?" I asked her and she nodded happily. By now she had gone from the hurt and angry stage of finding out about my baby to the 'Baby-shopping obsession' stage. I walked out into the early spring evening.

I had been walking for all of a few minutes since my dorm was on the opposite side of campus when I heard a cold voice call my name.

"Rose." I looked behind me. I was almost to my dorm in a secluded part of the quad. It was a short cut to the dhampir dorms that I had used often.

Behind me, Tasha came up to me and I felt myself stiffen. She had that same hateful look on her face and a hand went to cover my baby protectively.

Tasha stopped in front of me and I realized I was trembling. "I thought I told you to never come back here?"

I took a deep breath. "I couldn't miss my trials, Tasha. If I did then I'd never be a guardian."

Tasha scoffed. "Oh yes, and what a great guardian you'll be. What with you always running off and your liking for men and what not."

I glared at her. "Are you calling me a slut? Because if you are that would mean that I'd have to have slept with more then one man and last I checked the only man I've slept with is Dimitri, the man you want!"

Tasha glared at me. "Watch your mouth you little bloodwhore!"

I laughed at her. "Is that your defense mechanism?" I asked with an almost cruel laugh. "It seems when you Moroi have nothing else to say you bring up the bloodwhore title like a fucking label. Well guess what you're more of a fucking whore then I am Tasha! I'm not after a man that doesn't want me!"

I turned to leave but she grabbed my bicep and pulled me back. Suddenly I felt an unbelievable amount of heat and pain and I screamed loud.

Tasha took her hand away from me and stepped away. I looked to my arm. I had a 1st, maybe 2nd degree burn, in the shape of her hand wrapped around my arm.

"Unless you want me to do that to your baby I suggest you leave or at the very least stay away from Dimka." Then she turned and left and I cried loud pain filled sobs, wishing I'd never come back.

Adrian's POV

I had just stepped out of the Moroi dorm for a smoke when I heard the most pain filled scream of my life. I instantly knew who it was and sprinted toward the dhampir dorms. I ran into the quad and was met with the most heart wrenching sight of my life. Rose was curled up in a ball on the ground. She was cradling her arm and her body was shaking.

I walked over to her and gently touched her shoulder and she screamed. This wasn't like Rose. She didn't cry and she didn't shrink away from another's touch.

"Rose?" I tried to touch her again this time to pull her arm away and her blood-curdling scream made me wince. So instead, I made her look into my eyes. She was crying horribly. Her face wet from her salty tears.

"Rose, you are going to calm down and you're going to go to sleep." I compelled her and once her eyes closed I picked her up gently and quickly carried her to the infirmary. I didn't know why she was acting like this but I'd bet anything that it was that bastard that had threatened her and her child.

Once I got to the infirmary, Dr. Olendzki had Rose placed in her own private room. When I explained to her the way Rose was acting, she said it sounded to her like she had been assaulted.

The images that brought to mind made me sick and angry. God help the poor bastard when Belikov found them. Which reminded me…

I pulled out my phone and dialed the Russian's number. He was probably on duty, but the mother of his unborn child was hurt and needed him so he'd just have to get over it.

Dimitri's POV

I was checking the wards near the cabin, our cabin, when Tasha came up to me with a large smile on her face.

"Hey Dimka." She said, as she smiled even bigger, revealing her fangs.

I gave a small smile and nodded. "Hello Tasha, how are you this morning?" I asked her.

She shrugged. "Can't complain. I'm glad you found Rose. She did wonderful in her trials. You sure did a good job with her." I smiled as she praised Rose, I had never felt more pride then I did once I was assured our child was safe and alive inside Rose, except of course, after the trials when she told me the baby was mine. That I was going to be a father.

"Thank you Tasha. She did me very proud."

Tasha nodded. "So did she tell you why she ran away?" she asked as a worried look crossed her scarred face.

I knew Rose didn't want a lot of people knowing about the baby. She'd probably tell Lissa and the others but I knew she wouldn't tell them I'm the father. So I shook my head and shrugged, "She wouldn't say." For some reason that made Tasha… happier?

She opened her mouth to say something when my phone rang. I answered it without looking like I always did.

"Belikov."

"Hey cradle robber, Its Adrian. Rose is in the infirmary. Get over here ASAP!"

My inside froze as fear took over me and, without one word to Tasha, I bolted for the infirmary and my family.

I shoved the doors open as soon as I got to the clinic. I walked down the narrow hall briskly until I saw Adrian pacing in front of a door that must be Rose's.

I quickly grabbed the royal by his collar.

"What happened?" I barked as my eyes frantically glanced to the door.

"I don't know. She said she was tired and would see us at lunch and left. I went out a few minutes later for a smoke and I heard her screaming. I ran to find her and she was balled up in the south quad in hysterics." He explained. "I had to compel her to calm down and go to sleep. She screamed every time I tried to touch her."

I released the Moroi as the door opened and Dr. Olendzki stepped out into the hallway.

"Ah, Guardian Belikov, I knew you'd be here sooner or later." I nodded and put up my guardian mask even though all I wanted was to wrap Rose in my arms and demand to know if she and our child would be okay.

"How is Rose?" I asked.

The doctor sighed. "She's ok, I think it was no more then stress and shock. She has a pretty bad burn on her arm though."

"A burn?" I asked.

The Doctor nodded. "Yeah, it's in the shape of a hand, like maybe a fire user grabbed her while using their magic." My eyes widened slightly. So the person who was after Rose was a Moroi?

"Lord Ivashkov, if you'd like you can heal it. I've taken pictures of it already as evidence. This wasn't an accident. Someone intentionally hurt her."

Adrian nodded vigorously and bolted for the room. Doctor Olendzki looked back to me.

"Guardian Belikov may I suggest you find somewhere protected for Rose to stay, or better yet, someone to stay with her. Especially during the daylight hours while everyone is asleep. I'm worried that whoever did this could try to hurt her again."

As soon as she said it I had the perfect person to stay with Rose. Me.

I walked into the room and saw her lying there. She was pale and her hair was spread like a dark halo around her head. Adrian was studying her arm and that's when I realized that it was the one with the burn on it.

I gently pushed him away so I could get a good look at the injury. Dr. Olendzki was right. This was deliberate. It was also, if the size of the hand could be believed, was a woman.

I gave a soft growl and then turned to Adrian. "Can you heal this or should I call the princess?" I asked him.

He glared at me. "Give me some credit Belikov, I've been practicing." He then reached out and touched the wound, making Roza whimper in her sleep. I lovingly kissed her head and murmured sweet nothings hoping to distract her resting mind from the pain.

Finally, when the burn was healed and gone I relaxed. I gently placed a hand on her belly and found that I wished I could have had X-ray vision so I could see my baby inside her and know that this hadn't affected it.

"The kid's fine, Belikov." I looked up at Adrian. He was sitting in a chair, looking tired.

"I can still see the aura. It's like yours is growing from around her torso. Like until the kid is born it'll be like you're inside her." He then rubbed his head. "If that aura lessens or disappears then that means the baby is gone.

I took a deep breath as relief washed over me.

Then I lovingly picked Rose up.

"Where are you going?" Adrian asked me.

I looked back at him. "I'm taking her to my room. Once I speak with Alberta and Janine that's where Roza will be staying until we leave for Court. I won't let this happen again."

Then I walked away from the Moroi and carried my sleeping flower to my room where I was sure she'd be safest.

Rose's POV

I was woken by the scent of Dimitri's aftershave. I cuddled more into the pillow that had his scent and wondered why my bed smelled like him. I opened my eyes and was completely thrown for a loop.

This wasn't my room. I had only been in this room once, and it was the night Victor Dashkov put the lust charm on Dimitri and me.

I sat up and looked around. I was dressed in a very large T-shirt that had to belong to Dimitri and my jeans and t-shirt were neatly folded and placed on the dresser.

I tried to remember what happened last night and how I had gotten here. I mean, it's not like I drank anything so I couldn't have had a drunken one-night stand. Hell, even if I did come here drunk, Dimitri wouldn't have ever taken advantage of me. He'd have either walked me back to my dorm or he'd have had me come inside to sleep it off, but I hadn't had anything that could muddle me up so then-

Suddenly, I remembered Tasha and the burn on my arm. I looked to the arm she grabbed. The marks were gone.

Someone must have found me and taken me to Lissa or Adrian. Dimitri must be so worried.

I pushed the covers back and began to get out of bed when the door suddenly opened to reveal Dimitri. He looked tired, he also looked pissed, but when he saw me his eyes softened.

"You're awake. Finally." He said and walked over to me and kissed me.

"How are you feeling?" he asked me. I opened my mouth to reply but suddenly that damned morning sickness struck me hard. I glanced around for a bathroom and when I found it I bolted.

Dimitri was there like a constant force of love and comfort.

Once I was done he held me for a minute. I moaned against his chest.

"I really hate you right now." I told him only half joking. He chuckled and picked me up and carried me back to the bed.

"Why am I in here?" I asked as he tucked me in and pushed the hair back from my face.

"Adrian found you in the quad. You were in shock Rose, you wouldn't let anyone touch you." He looked like his very heart was breaking. "He had to compel you just to get you to calm down." He sat on the bed next to me.

"You have to tell me Rose. Who did this?" I felt my anxiety spike. How could I tell him that someone he trusted and cherished as a dear friend had been the one to cause all of this?

"Rose?" I looked up at him.

"Dimitri, you don't want to know trust me." Suddenly he had my shoulders in his large hands and he gave me a gentle shake.

"Rose, this is serious!" he growled. "Your life and our child's life are in serious danger. Do you realize that?"

I refused to look at him. I just couldn't, because he was right. Our baby's life was at stake. I looked up at him with fearful eyes.

"It was…" I took a deep breath. "It was Tasha, Dimitri. Tasha is behind all of it."

He didn't say anything and I couldn't look at him.

"Tasha?" he asked and I quietly nodded.

"She," I started but I couldn't finish. "I'm sorry Dimitri I-" he stood up and began to pace the room.

"It can't be Tasha, Rose." He said and I felt my hormones rear up as my temper rose.

"She wasn't exactly being sneaky about attacking me Dimitri! I saw her! Both times!" he shook his head.

"This is ridiculous Rose. Tasha would never hurt a child. Is this about last Christmas? I told her no, you don't have to be so jealous! Besides, Tasha was with me when Adrian called me."

Ok, wow. That was a low blow. Did he really think that little of me? That

I'd make something like this up just because I didn't like some chick!

I knew he was having a hard time believing this. He trusted Tasha and thought he knew her but I don't think he knew that she was completely obsessed with him.

He looked at me and for once I had no idea what he was thinking.

"I need some air." He said and walked out of the room.

I felt the familiar burning sensation behind my eyes that signaled the tears building and I held them back. I then got up and took of the T-shirt that Dimitri had dressed me in so I'd be comfortable and folded it and put it next to my clothes then I dressed in my jeans and t-shirt and walked out of his room. I was completely broken at his reaction. He had promised he'd protect me and our baby, but how could he do that if he refused to believe his friend was the one that wanted our baby dead?

I left the dorm where the Guardians stayed and made my way across campus.

Dimitri's POV

It had been hell trying to get Alberta and Janine to agree to allow Rose to stay with me. It wasn't that they didn't trust me with her, they just didn't want either of our reputations suffering and there were some that would make the living situation into a big scandal. Of course, if they knew Rose was carrying my child then they definitely wouldn't be letting her stay with me.

Surprisingly, it had been Abe, Rose's father, that had backed me on the decision. Although he had pulled me aside afterwards and in not so delicate terms threatened to end my life if I ever hurt her. Apparently Zmey is a lot more observant then I thought. He had pretty much told me he knew how I felt for Rose.

After that I had thought the worse was behind me. Now I just needed to find the person who wanted to hurt my baby and then everything will be perfect.

But when Rose finally told me I just couldn't believe it. I knew I said some things that I shouldn't have, but it was just ridiculous! Tasha Ozera loved children. She'd never hurt one, especially not a baby no matter whose it was. Rose had to be protecting the real bastard. But why would she lie to me about this? She knew how much I wanted children and she knew how much I already loved that baby.

I ended up at the gym and I began to beat the punching bags. I couldn't go back to Rose with all this tension and frustration. The last thing I wanted was to cause her anymore stress then she had suffered these past few months.

Finally, when I felt all the frustration and anxiety were worked out of my system I stopped and sat down with a water bottle that I had brought with me before. I caught my breath and stood up.

When I made it back to my room, I was expecting Rose to maybe have fallen back to sleep, but what I saw made my heart stop and my body shake. My bed was empty; the covers messed up from when Rose had been sleeping in them. My t-shirt was folded neatly and in the same place I had put her clothes while she slept.

Ok, I thought to myself as I tried to calm my nerves. Maybe she's in the bathroom. She got sick again and is soaking in a bath. I nodded to myself and went to my closed bathroom door. I knocked but I got to response. Maybe she fell asleep? I opened the door and poked my head inside. It was empty.

"Der'mo!" I swore and began to pace my room. I pulled out my phone and called Janine.

"Hathaway." She answered.

"Janine, is Rose with you?" I asked.

"What? No, I thought she was resting in your room, where she's suppose to be safe!" I felt my heart stop then begin to beat again erratically.

"She was here before I left,"

Janine said something and if I was right it was Abe.

"Rose is gone again." She said. "Ok, maybe she went back to Oakville."

I nodded. "Yes, I'll go get a car ready." Then I left my room in search of my Roza. She had to stop this running away.

Abe's POV

As Janine hung up on Belikov she looked worried yet again. "Why does she always do this Abe?" she asked me. "I blame your side of the family!" I laughed. Yes, it seemed my beautiful daughter took after me quit a bit.

Janine began to grab her jacket and stake. We had been discussing telling Rose about me being her father.

"Uh, Janine?" I asked. She turned to look at me with a dirty look.

"What Abe?" she asked. "I have to go look for our pregnant teenaged daughter, so hurry it up."

"Did anyone check her room?" Janine kind of froze and then she smacked her forehead. I smiled and then left the room with Janine following me. We went across campus.

I knocked on the door assigned to my daughter and she answered after a few moments.

She looked between her mother and I, and then she huffed.

"Can't I just go to sleep?"

Janine pulled the door opened wider and then hugged Rose tightly. "You have got to stop scaring us like that!"

Rose groaned. "What did I do this time?" Janine and I entered the room. It was a lot like the Guardian's dorm rooms.

"Belikov called and said you weren't in the room. We thought you had run off again. Belikov is actually getting a car ready to go harass Maggie and Joe right now. That reminds me…"

Janine took out her phone and dialed the Russian's number.

As Janine tried to calm the Russian, it was sadly obvious that he loved my daughter or maybe I was just very observant, I led Rose to her bed and had her sit next to me.

"Did Belikov not tell you that you were to stay with him until the person that hurt you could be found?"

"Nope, we sort of got into a … fight before I left the room." I narrowed my eyes.

"What kind of fight?" I asked.

Rose shrugged. "I told him whose been threatening me and he didn't believe me."

By this time Janine was off the phone and standing in front of the bed. Her arms were crossed as she assessed our daughter.

"Who was it Rose? The guy threating you?" Rose's shoulders slumped.

"Mom you're not going to believe me either." Janine's brown eyes narrowed angrily.

"Rosemarie Hathaway you are going to tell me who put you in the damned infirmary right now!"

Rose glared up at her mother. "Why? So you can tell me I'm being ridiculous too?"

Janine tried to retort but I interrupted her.

"If she won't believe you, I will," I told Rose. She looked at me and tried to raise an eyebrow but both went up instead.

"And why is that, Old Man?" she asked me and I felt a smug smile cross my face.

"Because I'm your father Little Girl, and I will always believe you."

And now Rose knows about Abe! How will she take it and better yet will she tell her parent's who the father of her child is? What is Tasha planning and Why is Adrian gone AWOL? Find out next time!

Please review and let us know what you all think. Shout out to the best Beta in the world! Thank you Isabella Rain.

Check out her new story The Flames that Bind Us its pretty good and will only get better!

VA is owned by Richelle Mead (Doesn't stop me from dreaming though.)

Translations

Der'mo= Shit!