Okay guys not a big chapter but things have been hectic at home this last week and I need to get my head into writing mode again.

Please read and review. BTW thanks for all the excellent reviews and I have no intention of leaving the story unfinished, so rest easy.

Enjoy xx

"Dimitri what do you know? Tell me exactly what you know." I demanded.

He looked me straight in the eyes, many emotions flashed across his face. Anger, worry, fear, amusement and last of all sadness.

"Rose, I know that you cant leave the Shadow Kissed Warriors. I know what you agreed to at the gifting ceremony. The Warriors have been talked about and hunted for milenia by the strigoi. When...when I heard about it I didnt really care, like I said I had other things on my mind." He looked down at the ground when he said the last bit. I had an idea as to what he was so busy about. But me and my mouth I couldnt help but ask.

"These other things. Well were they about the same time that Lissa went to the collage for the first time?" I asked.

He shook his head and started to fidget with his finger nails.

Okay so it wasnt the time I was thinking it was. Then it hit me. He had heard about them in Siberia. I wasnt sure if I could ask about that. I stood there chewing my bottom lip. Hesitantly I reached out and placed my hand on his arm. He was trembling slightly, so slightly you had to touch him to know.

"Comrade, was it?" I let the question hang in the air. He would know what I was talking about. He looked up at me his eyes full of shame.

"Oh Roza. The things I did." I cut him of when I put my hand over his mouth.

"Its the past. We have both moved beyond that. Neither one of us can go back and change what happened. You cant dwell on the past Comrade. It will only cloud your future." I told him. Looking intently into his eyes.

He lowered his head slowly towards mine never breaking eye contact. I rose up on my toes to meet him. Our lips touched and I felt the same spark that we'd had years ago. At first it was a light sweet kiss, then it became harder and hungrier. Like we both had been starved of food, air and love. My arms circled his neck while his wrapped firmly around my waist. I forgot about the world around me and melted into the kiss. Nothing else existed except the feel of his lips against mine and his tongue as it gently stroked against mine. Then I heard some distant yelling and it was like having cold water splashed over me. I pulled back and gasped what had I been doing. I pushed my way out of his hold and ran without looking back. I ran as hard and fast as I could. Not thinking not looking just running. When I finally stopped I braced my hands on my knees and caught my breath. Finally breathing easily I raise my head and look around. I know this place. Its where we crossed the wards when we went to rescue those that had been taken, after the school had been attacked by strigoi. This is where I sat waiting for them to bring back Dimitris body. This is where I found out that the man I loved had been turned strigoi. So many memories flooded my mind. I crumpled at the base of a tree, drew my knees upto my chest and cried. I cried for the friends that I had lost, for my lost innocence, for my childhood. Most of all I cried for what had been ripped away from me so viciously, my heart. How the hell did my life turn out like it had? I had a plan, I knew what I wanted to do. This was not it. I love my children they are my own beautiful miracle, but how do you plan to have children with another damphir? For so long I had focused on anything except my heart, now my heart was finally shouting out to be heard. To be healed. Only its not that easy. Its not all fairy tale endings, not in real life.

I sat there letting the peace wash over me. My phone buzzed several times but I couldnt bring myself to answer it. I was in no mood to talk to anyone just yet. I sorted through the knarled mess that was my thoughts. I heard a noise behind me and turned to see Alberta walking towards me. She didnt look worried or angry which I suppose were good things. I turned back, she would have seen me and I guess it was me she was looking for. Glancing at the sky I got a shock. It was lightening into dawn, I had been out here for a long time.

"Nice and quiet out here." Alberta said as positioned herself against a tree across from me.

"Yeah, it is."

Silence fell between us. It wasnt an uncomfortable silence, just a companiable one.

"Belikov told me what happened."

I laughed "How did you get that out of him? Torture?"

Alberta laughed in response. "No no. I just gave him my infamous glare and he told me everything. He is worried about you Rose. He cares deeply for you. He hasnt been this happy or easy to get along with since, well, since you left. I suppose you could even say since before you left."

"Yeah well in my opinion he is still a pain in the ass." I say dryly.

"Much the same as someone else I know hey Rose?" Alberta chuckled.

"Rose I watched you grow into a brilliant, smart and lethal young woman. Now you are a mother and those children of yours, well, you have done an excellent job in raising them. They are truly special. They need to start school. They need to learn how to protect them selves and the people they care about. When they get to adulthood and step out into the world, they need all the knowledge they can get. Its not safe out there, it never will be, not for our kind. We need you back in the ranks. We need what you can teach us. A war is coming and we are going to need everyone we can get. I wont loose children to those evil creatures."

I looked up into her face and saw that she spoke only the truth.

"What do I do about Dimitri?" I ask her. "I want to stay and I want the twins to learn but.." I trailed of.

"Rose I cant tell you what to do about Dimitri. I do know how ever, that you need to let your heart love again. Whether its Dimitri or somebody else." She shrugged her shoulders. "Though I think you and Dimitri should give it another shot. I have seen the way you two are around each other."

I gaped at my once teacher now friend. "But..How..We.." I stammered.

"I have not been around teenagers these past twenty years without learning a thing or two." She smiled indulgently at me "He maybe head gaurdian at the school but he still deferes to me in most things, except fighting and training. Now get your but up and lets head back. I am tired and need rest and you my dear have some choices to make."

I got up and dusted off my butt. My mind was whirling. Do I give Dimitri and I a chance or do I move on. Perhaps I should give him a chance, maybe things will be better this time around without the sneaking and lying. If I do give him this chance then I am going to have to tell him the truth. All of it. After all the kids will need thier father, its part of the reason I came back.