Tasha was the life of the party. that is until Rose decided to make her appearance. Tasha was chatting away with her nephew, laughing and cracking jokes. Then while Lissa and Christian talked, she turned to me. Her blue eyes studied me and I knew she could see through me no matter how hard I tried to hide my feelings.

"You sure you're okay, Dimka. We got back here in one piece…"She said the words, but her gaze told me that she knew that it had something to do with Rose.

"I'm fine," I brushed her off.

She would let me, glancing at the other two, she moved closer to me. "No, you're not fine. You can talk to me. I know it's about Rose."

I sighed and sat back. "There's nothing to say."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course there is. Are you worried she might take you snapping at her to heart?"

That was close to a topic I wasn't willing to discuss. She leaned back, waiting, but thankfully, the door opening caught everyone's attention and saved me from answering Tasha's question.

Rose looked like she just rolled out of bed, but only I would notice that. Her hair was brushed to perfection as always and she had cleaned up, looking much healthier.

"Well, look who's here," a smile appeared.

"Hi to you too, Rose," Christian shot back sarcastically.

She sauntered into the kitchen and settled down for sitting on my lap. I felt perfectly at ease when she did so, letting me know I was forgiven for real. We didn't have to hide our relationship here where the Moroi knew and accepted it.

She met my eyes and I searched them, trying to get an answer. I did. She got the note and seemed happier than before all this had started. I decided it was time to quit constantly pushing her away and once in a while giving in to her.

She turned her head. "So, Fire Boy, you got tired of Queen Bitch, or did you just miss me that much?" Rose joked.

I groaned. "Rose." I knew where she was going with cracking these jokes.

She snickered. "Don't worry, Comrade, I'm all yours." She pressed her lips to mine and I wanted to kiss her, the feeling burning within me. But, we had guests and Rose was doing it to torture Lissa and Christian.

I put my hands on her face and pulled away from her, barely hearing Christian making disgusted noises and Lissa scolding Rose. "Rose, that wasn't funny!" Lissa was complaining to her.

I laughed and so did Tasha. Rose's head rested on my shoulder and she let out a contented sigh.

"So, Rose, how's life treating you?" Christian's voice made Rose look back up, glaring.

"Very good, actually."

"Nice to know. I mean you are free after all."

I was having a hard time keeping a straight face around them and one glance at Tasha told me the same thing. Lissa just looked like an exasperated mother. I watched her eyes burn, but the rest of her looked at ease and not affected.

I knew her well, too well and I knew she was trying not to lose her temper, but I could see she was already to the point where she was going to lose it anyway.

"Yeah, I'm free so what?" Ah, playing dumb.

"Aw, come on, Rose, you know what I'm saying. You, Belikov, free, alone…"

"Hey, at least I have a life that doesn't always involve sex!"

Watching them like a ping pong match was amusing and at Rose's comment, everyone started laughing while Christian just gave Rose a hard look, a sly glint in his eyes. This wasn't good…

"Well, at least I have a sex life!"

Her control and temper snapped finally and she leaped up, getting close enough where she could pull her fist back and punch him. Instinct kicked in a quickly before she could cause damage, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand back away from his face.

Christian actually looked afraid. He obviously knew Rose wasn't kidding about punching him or inflicting pain. "I think it's time to go upstairs," I worded the sentence carefully, not wanting to set her off.

"Fine," she crossed her arms.

"Good thing Belikov's here. Otherwise nobody could tame Rose like he can."

Rose growled and turned her burning gaze on him. I winced and moved so that I was restraining her so she wouldn't be able to get loose. "Roza, let's go," I said softly in her ear. "He's not worth it," I tried to convince her.

She obviously thought I was right and turned, stomping upstairs to our room. I followed a distance behind in case she decided to go back. She didn't. She stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door. I had a feeling she took Christian's comment more to heart than she normally would have, due to the circumstances both her and I were under.

I wasn't surprised that her temper had snapped when he made that comment, but how could he know anything that went on? I sighed. I looked once more at the closed door where Roza was getting ready.

I stripped off my shirt and slipped into some sweats, getting into bed. I closed my eyes, thinking about Roza and everything. So much had tested our limits, both of us, yet it was amazing how much closer we could get to one another.

I heard the door open and felt a warm body slip into bed with me. I decided to act like I was really asleep, just to see if she did anything, since I knew she would most definitely try something. My arms wrapped around her and I breathed her name.

She appeared to think I was sleeping and slipped away from my grasp. I opened my eyes slightly, watching as she pulled her clothes off, replacing them with one of my shirts. I had a feeling I knew where she was going with this and I smiled, quickly closing my eyes.

I felt her stretch out suggestively beside me, her head on my chest, body angled very close to mine. My heart picked up speed at her being so close, but I tried to at least keep my breathing even, muttering in Russian.

She moved slowly, her body angled in the perfect way that drove me crazy. I cracked open my eyes and saw her about to take off the shirt. I knew if she went any further, I wouldn't be able to control myself. I snatched her, pulling her to me and she let out a surprised yell.

"I saw everything, my naughty Rose," I breathed, voice husky from desire.

She looked at me, confused. "Huh?"

I decided to clean it up. "I wasn't really sleeping."

"What?" she exclaimed.

"You heard me. Who said I couldn't act," a smile crept onto my lips.

"Then what were you waiting for?" she murmured, a flirty look in her eyes.

"I wanted to see how far you'd actually go."

"Well, I would go farther, but you 'woke up'."

"Well, what about this?" I whispered, bringing our lips together roughly.

I could tell she was caught by surprise, but responded to me nonetheless. Her soft lips were in sync with mine and I deepened the kiss. She pressed closer to me, gluing herself to my side. Every emotion leaked out into the kiss. Emotions that had been held in for so long, kept at bay for a while.

Her mouth opened slightly and she pressed harder, closer—if possible—to me. Our tongues intertwined and she gave a soft groan as I moved my hands, pushing them against her back, trying to get her closer to me, although we were already as close as we could get.

Her hands crept up my shirt, tracing my chest. I felt her smile and I knew she was distracted by something. Yet, I was too in the moment to really comprehend what was going on in her head. Her lips didn't let up and she kept kissing me, her eyes closed.

I kissed her more forcefully, hungrily, wanting more of her. But she did a surprising thing: she pulled away from me. She untangled herself from me and I watched her with curiosity. She shot me a lazy grin.

"Lissa wants to talk to me," she said.

The smile was smug and I suddenly knew what she had been doing. I groaned loudly, letting my head fall back onto the pillows. "Roza, can't you go one day without torturing people?"

She lifted her shoulders and let them drop. "Maybe, but I've never tried."

I shook my head, finally sitting up as she slipped outside. Recently, Rose and Lissa found out their bond could work both ways, expanding Rose's mind to Lissa's as it had been vice versa. Rose had often told me before that she couldn't sleep because Lissa would get together with Christian, the feelings sucking her into Lissa's head.

I was snapped out of my thoughts as I heard laughter coming from the spare room, which was right next to our room. I remembered how my sisters' were at home and the memory brought a smile to my face.

Okay, so I've gotten past the scene in LLT (Love, Life, Tragedy) where they sleep together, and I didn't continue with this because it didn't feel right to keep going when they didn't have their "first time" together.

SONGS:

Down With The Sickness-Disturbed

Anthem Of The Angels/Give Me A Sign-Breaking Benjamin

When I Get Where I'm Going-Brad Paisley ft. Dolly Parton

Lithium-Evanescence