Dimitri

I watched Rose vanish into the living room and talk to the Cullens before she headed upstairs. Moments later, I watched her come down stairs in black shorts and a green tank top. Her long, curly hair was pulled up into a ponytail. She made her way through the kitchen and down another flight of stairs. I wondered what was down there.

I left Eddie with the feeder and the Moroi. I walked to the top of the stairs and I heard loud, bass heavy music pulsing through the basement. As I followed the stairs down, I saw that there was a gym built just like the one back at the Academy. I stood at the foot of the stairs and let my eyes sweep across the dummies, weights, and punching bags. I had to do a double take at the dummies because of the stake sized holes in the 'heart'. Rose must have been pissed when she used those.

I heard flesh bit leather and my attention turned towards that girl that was attacking the middle punching bag. She was graceful and aggressive all at the same time. I watched her with pride. I had graduated a year before she did and watched her take her trials. She was amazing and now, watching her train, I could tell where she got those amazing skills.

I leaned against a wall and watched her. I had to admit, even though she was away from Court and considered a rouge, she had stayed in shape and in power. I noticed that back in Italy with the vampires there. First when she was in her seat when we came in. She was the perfect picture of sereneness and peace. Then again when she stood up for Lissa against Aro. She might have left us, but she wasn't going to let a danger get near Lissa without a fight. Even if her family believed that she would loss that fight. The last time that I saw the power and control was just moments ago when we patrolled the grounds. She took more ground than Eddie and I and she did it in less time. She did know the lay out better.

Watching Rose, I kept kicking myself for ever lying to her. Why in the hell had I told her that I didn't love her? That had to be the worst thing in the world that I have ever done. I honestly thought that I could not have Rose in my life? God, I was stupid! Damn it!

Rose's head snapped up and she spun around. She locked eyes with me and her guardian mask faltered. I then realized what had happened: I'd sworn out loud.

"How long have you been standing there?" she asked. Her voice was all business.

"Long enough," I replied just as business-like. I saw that my words made Rose's eyes darken.

"Can I help you?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"No. I was just watching your technique."

"Any pointers since your such a master at the art?" Her words were sharp and somewhat sarcastic. She was pissed off.

"No." I said. I strode over to where she was standing. She didn't move. She watched my movements though. She didn't trust me and that, sadly, was something that I could understand.

"What do you want?" Rose asked. The way that she said it made the simple question turn into an ice-covered interrogation. I looked her straight in those deep, dark, brown eyes of hers.

"I want to know why you left." I had no idea why that came out, but when the words were said, I knew that they were what I meant. I wanted to know why she left us.

"I left because I could. There is nothing for me there," she said seriously. I saw the sadness and hurt in her eyes.

"There are things for you there," I insisted. "You have friends and family there. You could have gotten a great assignment." I was grasping at straws here, but my words made Rose smile.

"Oh yeah. I have amazing friends that are all in politics and a fantastic family in Europe. My assignment of filing was a great job too. I can't believe I gave all that up!" she sighed in sarcasm. I looked at her in curiosity. I knew that her mother was a fantastic and well-respected guardian and the last time I heard, she had friends around her.

"Rose, what are you talking about?" I had to ask and boy did I feel like a moron doing it.

Rose searched my face. When she realized that I was serious, I watched it dawn in her. "You really don't know do you?" When I shook my head, she nodded and looked at the floor. "My biological parents have never contacted me after they left me when I was four. Janine left with her charge and Abe went off to do his mob-boss thing. I haven't talked to them in fourteen years.

As for my friends, they are too busy in politics. Ever since you were changed back, Lissa's been in meeting after meeting trying to clear your name and get the power that is behind her name. Christian and Adrian have been right behind her. Sydney has been working with Lissa but with the Alchemists. She's doing what she can when her superiors let her. Eddie is the only person that was close to me in the end and even he had to leave because of interested Moroi." She finished talking and fell silent. She sat down on the mats and crossed her legs. I followed her.

"So because of your parents and friends you left?" I asked. I didn't understand fully.

Rose shook her head slowly. "No. They aren't the only reason." She took a deep breath. "I left because of you. You told me that you didn't love me anymore and the thought of being partners with you while we guarded Lissa was a little too much. It didn't help that Lissa wasn't there for me to talk to either," she whispered.

Rose's words hit me hard. I had made her leave. My lie was the breaking point for her. I looked away from her face and over at the mutilated dummies that lined the wall. "Rose… I never meant to make you leave. I just…I just needed for you to stay away from me until I found out who I was again." I wasn't lying. I did need my space, but what I said was blasphemy. "But…why did you come here?"

Rose let out a small laugh. "I grew up here. This is my home. I've lived here with the Cullens since I was four. Esme and Carlisle are my parents and Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Alice, and Edward are my siblings. Edward and I had a think when I was sixteen but that ended in disaster so now we regard each other as siblings," she explained. So that explained the way that they acted around each other.

"You're very close," I mumbled.

"Yeah we are. We have been. It's what happens when you have a little sister that's half human," she said.

"Do you think that you and Edward could ever get back together?" I was being nosy but I had to know.

"No," she said. "I've only given my heart to one man before and he still has it, even if it's not whole, he still has it."

Rose's words surprised me. Was she saying that she still loved me? Was there hope for us after all? I could only hope that that was what she meant.

"Dimitri," she said. My heart leapt as we locked eyes. "I have always loved you. I've never stopped."

Those two sentences became my undoing. I reached for her face and let my fingers brush against her cheek. Rose closed her eyes and leaned into my hand. I leaned down to her and rested my forehead against hers. Our lips were so close together until she leaned up and locked them together. The kiss started out slow and cautious and them moved to a more heated and passionate one. My hand cradled her neck as the other snaked around her waist. Her hands got tangled into my hair as she got up onto her knees. I would have stayed like that forever if her phone didn't go off.

"Damn it," Rose swore under her breath. I chuckled at her as she scowled at her phone. She flipped it open and pressed it to her ear. "Alice, you better have a good reason for calling."

I watched in amusement as Rose listened to her sister. Her face went from anger to mortification in a matter of seconds. She spun around and looked up at the windows at the top of the wall. There was Emmett and Jasper laughing like crazy. Rosalie was trying to hold back laughter and Alice had the phone to her ear and waved.

Rose growled, "God you vampires are a royal pain in my ass!" She snapped the phone shut and looked at me. "Please excuse me while I kick my brother's ass." She then leapt up and stalked out of the room.

I followed her up the stairs and out of the house. Our friends noticed that Rose was pissed and they followed. The feeder and his Moroi had left a while ago. Rose stormed over to Emmett and started to tell him off when our friends looked at me for an explanation.

"They caught us and so Rose is going to 'kick her brother's ass'," I said using her words.

Alice came up to us and waved us over. Everyone was heading down a trail that looked like it was used for dirt bikes and motorcycles. The trail ended in an open field that was huge. Emmett and Rose were facing each other in the middle. Jasper was standing next to them.

"Okay, only attacking and dodging. No illegal moves and you have to go at moderate speed, Emmett. Bella is dodging and Emmett is attacking. When Emmett pins Bella he wins, if she isn't pinned by the time the hour is up, she wins. Deal?"

"Let's just show the royals who the real vampires are," Emmett taunted. He winked at us and got ready.

"Are you calling yourself a vampire wanna be?" Rose asked as she got ready in her stance.

"Alice is time keeper so when she's ready," Jasper announced as he went to her side.

"Ready…Set…Go!" Alice said.

Emmett charged at Rose. She stayed put until the last possible second. He was fast, but Rose's size made it easy for her to dodge. Emmett spun around and charged at her again, and again, she dodged with ease. This lasted a little longer.

"Come on, Emmett," Rose taunted. "I'm getting bored here."

"Keep your mouth shut, Rose," I heard Lissa whisper beside me. Christian wrapped his arms around her.

"She's fine. Emmett has to dumb down his speed and strength so he won't hurt her," Rosalie said.

Emmett charged at Rose again but this time when she dodged, he swung out and grabbed her wrist. He threw her to the ground like she was a rag doll. I saw Edward tense and lean forward as did Eddie and I. Jasper shot to his feet but didn't do anything. Rose had gotten to her feet already.

She did some fancy maneuvering to release her wrist and dodge an open-hand swipe to her back. Emmett was getting more frustrated and Rose was starting to wear down. I went over to Alice to look at the stopwatch. Thirty-seven minutes into the fight.

I returned my attention to the fight and watched as Rose dodged with little to no resistance. Emmett had gotten her fall only once when he kicked her knee out from behind, but she recovered with grace.

Eddie was watching the fight like a dhampir would he nodded his head when Rose did something that was great and shook his head when it was a close call. He winced when Rose fell and when Emmett had her wrist. Christian, Adrian, and Lissa watched like Moroi. They didn't understand the technical stuff that Eddie and I did, but they watched with interested and hissed 'yes' every time Rose escaped Emmett's grasp.

When there was five minutes left, everyone watching was on their feet. Emmett started to get too aggressive, but Rose took it all in stride. A small smile crept onto her face as Emmett's attempts of pinning her became less and less effective. Emmett made one final attack and Rose dodged beautifully just in time for Alice to yell "Stop!"

Rose grinned from ear and ear at her brother. She gave a bow to him and laughed. "Who are the real vampires again?" Everyone in the audience either laughed or rolled their eyes. Emmett just glared.

"Oh shut up, Bella. It wasn't a fair game." He stormed over to Rosalie who kissed him on the cheek.

"The only fair fights are when you and Jasper wrestle and Esme won't let you really go at it," Rose laughed.

She danced over to us. She was radiating post-battle rush and happiness. I also detected a bit of cockiness in there somewhere. Lissa hugged her and she got an "atta girl" from Christain. Eddie high fived her. I watched her and Lissa talk as they headed back to the house. Rose's hair had fallen out of the ponytail and her clothes were torn and muddy from the falls. She was beyond beautiful.

So what do you think? I know that a lot of the people that reviewed earlier chapters wanted to know about the fight and this was what i came up with with puttin Rose in too much danger. -SagWarrior