A.N: Hey guys!!
I know I've been evil at the end of the last chapter and I'm pretty sure none of you guessed who it was…I mean come on don't you know me by now lol. Dimitri? It would have been just too "easy" =)
Anyways I just felt speechless with all the reviews that you so much!!! I mean my beta didn't get back to me and well I went around begging to get this chapter ready for you! You are so cute with me!! I also made it extra long
Well… Just so you know I have written 5 more chapters and believe me there is still a lot of secrets to be reveal…….
Enjoy and don't forget to REVIEW
Love you guys!!! You are fantastic!!
Chapter 14:
"Guardian Castile! What an honor!" I said trying to sound impressed, but I couldn't help a genuine grin from spreading across my face.
Eddie sighed and rolled his eyes closing the door. "Boy… you've been awake like 10 minutes and you already heard about that?" he asked grinning too.
"Well to be fair I've been awake about 2 hours really," I said pointing at the clock. I laughed, "but it is true I heard that about ten minutes after."
He laughed; friendly kissed the top of my head and sat beside me.
"You look good guardian Hathaway," he said patting my hand softly. "You scared us you know that?" He added seriously and as I saw a shadow pass through his eyes I only knew too well that he was thinking about Mason.
Eddie was still a happy guy, but far away from the doofus he was before all the drama hit us. In fact the drama we faced made him the perfect guardian for Lissa, he knew only too well what to expect outside those walls. He had stared in the evil eyes of those strigoi so yeah… he was one of the few that I would trust Lissa's life with.
"I'm not a guardian… just yet…" I added in such a tone that Eddy looked at me with wonder. He was perceptive with me; I had to be more careful. "Let me see your tattoo," I said changing the subject. "I mean an early graduate? I'm so lucky!!" I added sticking my tongue out.
He groaned, but turned in his chair his back at me so I could see his guardian tattoo, then he turned to face me. "No, Actually I'm the one whose honored guardian Hathaway," he said again and this time the term made me frown.
Why on earth he is stubbornly calling me guardian? I thought as my heart rate increased slightly, but Eddie seemed oblivious ready to continue.
"I mean come on girl you are a legend now!" He said taking my hand. "You'll be textbook material in no time," he added seriously. "Everyone knows about you! I think every single moroi and dhampire has heard your name by now."
I scrutinized his face as I expected him to burst into laugher and shout a "gotcha" but it never happened. "What's this shit Eddie? I mean --what?" I asked in a daze.
"Well you saved the Moroi future with your early warning, they were all ready to take the strigoi, and it made a huge difference! Based on their research the tunnels you destroyed in Tualatin contained at least 90 Strigoi, which made that the biggest kill in history!" He smiled like he was so proud of me, like 'soccer mom proud'. "And you were the first in like forever to fight side by side with a moroi against strigoi and you're also the one who convinced to build the "army" that will count moroi as fighters." He mocked punched my shoulder. "Everything changed because of you and you're a guardian, they made you a guardian in absentia at the same time as me, but they dated it from the Strigoi attack so we've both officially been guardians for about 7 weeks."
"How is that possible??" I asked as my heart rate increased by the second. I was a star? Now that I only wanted to be forgotten and live separate from my kind I was famous? Man if there was a god he probably really hated me!!
Eddie noticed the increase in the heart rate this time as the beeping sound was almost permanent and so annoying.
"Hey calm down Rose it's all good… I promise everything is just fine," he said in a soothing tone.
"I…. yeah…" I said closing my eyes and taking some deep breaths. That's gonna be one pain in the ass I thought as my heart rate decreased.
He looked at me worried. "Maybe…maybe I should go and let you rest, you know…Lissa will be done with her classes in 30 minutes and Adrian is waiting for her to announce the good news." He stood up.
I reached for his hand "No please stay!" I said with urgency. I didn't want to think now, not just yet. "How... How did you find out I was awake?" I blurted out the first question that came to mind, as I wanted him to stay.
He looked at me with concern again, but smiled kindly and sat down. He understood what I wanted. I didn't need that many word with Eddie.
"Well I just finished with my group and I saw Adrian walking across the lawn." He shrugged, "as soon as I saw his face I knew that Rose Hathaway was back," he said with a little chuckle.
His group? I thought, but concentrated on another thing since I knew that would be a long story. "His face?" I asked surprised.
"Yeah it was like," he tried to think how to word it out. "He was a zombie going in the hospital and when I saw him, all the happiness and relief shown his face. It was so clear!" Said Eddie simply stating the facts.
I grimaced. "He convinced himself he is in love with me. He's delusional." I added, as I truly believed that. He is just obsessed because I'm one of the few he can't have and I'm bad, bad as one of his many addictions. I shook my head. "He should totally talk to the Psychiatrist!"
"Well it's a pretty good delusion then since he went to the Queen and all," he blurt out becoming white in an instant regretting to have leaked that info.
"Like I needed that!" I said sighing. "She hates me enough!" I added really annoyed at Adrian. "He goes around like that I'm not even with him!"
"The Queen? Hating you??" He asked arching his eyebrows in surprise. "Not anymore! I told you everything has changed Rose." He added seriously. "Since you became such a big hero, the Queen is like the president of your fan club!!" He said not even joking. "I'm pretty sure that she wouldn't be more than happy to organize the wedding if you wanted Adrian!"
"So shallow!!" That's all I said. I didn't know what I could add to that.
"You have no idea…" He said disgusted as he valued honesty almost as much as I did, we both hated false pretences.
"So you have a 'group'?" I wondered curiously.
He then started to explain me how Christian and I changed the face of the educational system. Now Moroi over 16 could take optional fighting classes and technical defense with guardians. They could also take some classes to learn attack with magic too and that Christian signed up to be a teacher with his aunt Tasha, which made me wince, but I tried to hide it as much as I could.
Facing Tasha was going to be hard now that she knew why Dimitri refused her offer. Was she angry? Would she blame me for his death? Of course she would! And that would be only fair.
He also told me that with the parent agreement Moroi could take those classes from age 12.
He explained me how Lissa and Adrian managed to regroup a class of Spirit users from every institution. They were 15 now staying at St Vladimir and working together, and that they were able to do amazing things. They had both Lissa and Adrian as tutors. Eddie went through that quickly and I could guess that there was a lot more under it, but I knew that I would find out soon enough.
I asked him about the researches they made about saving the strigoi. At this question he started to fidget on his chair and was very evasive on how 'apparently' (he used that word a lot) Lissa started the research as soon as we found out about Dimitri being strigoi, how with some guardians' connections (the way he said it, with the sidelong glance, totally meant 'Janine Hathaway') she obtained some primary sources from the middle east.
At the instant, the door of the room flew open, and Lissa threw herself on the bed, starting to sob heavily in the crook of my neck.
"Shush Lissa it's ok…. everything will be okay…" I said soothing her gently stroking her hair. "I'm here and awake," I added kissing the top of her head.
"Oh Rose!! How was I even supposed to live without you?" She asked between two sobs keeping her face in my neck.
Eddie stood up uncomfortable to witness such an intimate moment, but also so relieved to be off the hook. That made me think that they were hiding something even bigger than I thought.
Huh…. My eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Well I'll see you later." He said waving to me.
"Could you keep her away a bit more please?" I asked him still stroking Lissa's hair as she kept sobbing in my neck. My hospital gown was soaking wet on the shoulder now, sticking to my skin. "I'm not ready to deal with all the judgmental speech crap and she will do it eventually," I added biting my lip.
He knew who I was talking about and nodded with a small smile. "Well I'll do my best, but the woman is terrifying."
"So I've been told," I said with a low chuckle as he left the room.
Lissa and I stayed like that for 5 more minutes before her sobs finally calmed down. She raised her head but stayed beside me on the bed.
She dried her eyes with the back of her hand and blew her nose very loudly.
"Very lady like…" I said with a chuckle trying to ease the tension.
She chucked too and rested her head by mine on the pillow.
"I missed you…" That's all she said, but I didn't need more as all her emotions were traveling from her body to mine. It was a huge happiness, relief, love, but very deep there was a black feeling that I couldn't comprehend yet.
Things seemed to be all the same, but also so so different. It had only been 5 weeks since I crossed the gates of St Vlad, but it seemed to be a century ago.
"I missed you too Liss…So much." I added looking at the ceiling, but I could feel her eyes on my neck like burning me.
"I'm sorry," she said the voice shivering again. "I shouldn't have said the things I said when you left. I was just angry and scared Rose I…I didn't mean any of it."
I turned my body a little, and it was harder then I thought it would be. It seems like every muscle of my body was stiff, but I did it nevertheless trying my best to hide how difficult it was. As soon as I was more or less on my side, I wrapped my free hand around her waist.
"I know you didn't mean." I said nicely rubbing her back. "Sometimes you say things out of anger that you don't mean. I wasn't angry Liss…. Not even for a minute I know you," I added sincerely. Lissa was good to the core! She wouldn't wish bad stuff and we all knew that.
She raised her head and kept staring at the spot under my jaw, on the scar. She winced and gently, very softly brushed her fingertips on top of it, but even if the touch was as soft as a feather, it left a burning tickling sensation.
"I… I could try to make it disappear," she said with uncertainty, as I knew she wasn't fully effective yet and that she never really tried to remove a healed injury trace before.
She cupped the scar with her hand and closed her eyes. I felt the magic pass through our bond, but I removed her hand quickly and she opened her eyes wide with surprise.
"No it's ok Lissa." I said gently. "I…I want… I need to keep it." I added turning to rest on my back again.
"But I can try…" she said with a little voice.
"Nah everything will be all right you'll see." I said trying to calm all the worries I could feel.
Suddenly I felt shame in her as she gently got up from the bed. "Geez you're the one hurt and all that…" she sat on the chair Eddie sat before, "and I'm the one who needs to be looked after." She added blushing lightly.
"It's ok Liss," I said taking her hand and squeezing it. "I don't mind at all."
"But it's ok now." She said with a smile. "Now you're back and everything will be right again." She added with so much confidence that it broke my heart a little.
"So you are staying here then." I asked changing subject. "What about college?" I asked really curious.
"Oh its ok! Lehigh do distance learning." She said happy to be on that subject. "Both Christian and I are going to be distant learning for at least a year you know…" She shrugged "at least to make sure that everything is set correctly and running smoothly."
At the instant there was a light rapping at the door and Christian appeared letting the door open.
"Sorry to interrupt you girls, but Lissa we need to go back there is a meeting starting soon," he said walking up and standing beside Lissa. "Looking good Hathaway," he said with a grin.
I looked at him and gave him an evil smile. "I guess Kirova is really desperate to make you a teacher," I said trying to sound serious, man I missed teasing Christian.
"Well yeah just like the moroi society for making you a guardian!" He snapped back.
It felt so good to have my favorite smart ass around me!
"Christian!" Chastised Lissa scowling at him.
"But she started it!" He said pointing at me.
"Yeah well…" Lissa shook her head "Still!" She added still scowling
"Yep…. It's the coma chick privileges!" I said with irony. "At least I gained something from it."
"Well I can do that too then! Just read me the book Adrian brought," he said pointing at the book on my nightstand "and I'm pretty sure I'll be in a deep coma in 2 chapters."
Lissa's jaw dropped, as she felt bad he was making fun of my situation, but it was exactly why I needed Christian as a friend. HE was the only one not pretending, and acting like he always did.
"Bitchy!!" I said chuckling. "I missed that you know!" He laughed with me as Lissa looked from one to the other finally relaxing. "I missed you." I added sincerely and this time he stopped laughing and stared at me with surprise, Lissa did too.
"Oh come on Christian! You can tell me." I said with an alluring tone. "You missed me too huh?"
"Humph…." He just said shrugging crossing his arms on his chest.
"Come on buddy… You can tell me …" I said with a smile "I won't tell anyone."
"Maybe…" He said giving me a sideway glance.
I opened my arms. "Come on… Gimme a hug I know you want to!" I said wiggling my eyebrows. "I'm sure Lissa won't mind?" I said quickly looking at Lissa.
"No I don't mind… you get a freebie," she said doing her best to contain her laugher. It was true that having the two badasses/smartasses of school in an 'argument' was pretty funny.
"I can see it in your eyes big boy!" I added trying to be serious. "Come on give your fighting partner a hug!! I know you want to," I added with a wink.
Christian sighed heavily rolled his eyes, but walked to me to give me a bear hug.
As he was down he whispered to my ear. "We missed you so much Rose. Don't abandon us again. I need my bad ass Rose. We're a family we can't be apart. We are an unusual family, but one nonetheless." And he quickly pecked my cheek before breaking our embrace.
I was speechless of everything I could have expected that wasn't one of them especially coming from Christian. I was worried that he would judge me or hold grudge against me because of the all Dimitri / Tasha situation, but it didn't seem like that.
I nodded slightly and gave him a small smile.
They were blocking the door, but as soon as I heard the voice, I knew who it was even if I didn't know it that well. It was probably the heavy accent that tipped me off too.
"So I heard the little hero was awake!" She said as a grin spread on my face.
I could feel jealousy creeping into Lissa and could help but empathize since I felt the same when Christian entered her life.
"Kashka?" I asked incredulous trying to peek behind Christian, but she walked around to stand at the foot of my bed.
"Who else?!" she said squeezing one of my feet under the cover. "Well you aren't standing up yet, but believe me be ready for a major butt kicking as soon as you'll be half yourself again." She laughed. "I owe you that you little…punk!" She said trying to sound angry, but she clearly wasn't
"Ok..." I said shaking my head. "I'll write that in my calendar no problem. But…" I frowned. "What are you doing here? I mean the Russian FBI MI5 whatever doesn't need you? How can they even continue running without you.?!"
I saw her giving a quick glance to Christian who tried, as discreetly as possible, to shake his head lightly.
I wanted to scream and ask what they were hiding from me and that they were making me super paranoid.
"You suck in history," she said trying to joke, but I could only feel disapproval radiating from her now and the weird thing was that I could also feel that it was not directed at me. "In Russia it was the KGB," she continued, "and I'm inspector in the police not secret services." She shrugged. "I had a lot of holidays to take." She said evasively.
So frustrating, they are hiding things and lying!! I thought as the blood pressure increased in the monitor.
Doctor Olendzki chose that moment to check on my vitals and she told them I needed to rest, and that I had enough visit for one day and that I was set to be left alone til the next day.
They were only too happy to comply and after 3 quick kisses they left the room as if someone set their butts on fire.
I looked at the door with narrowed eyes. As soon as I would be able to walk they would have to come clean or there would be a lot of ass kicking going around.
Well at least I wouldn't see my mother because I knew that even if the other abstained themselves from commenting on my relationship with Dimitri and everything that followed, I knew that my mother wouldn't and I didn't feel strong enough to deal with that just yet… not now, not ever.
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Doctor Olendzki kept her words and I was off all the machinery and IV in the morning, which felt so good.
Eddie did come to visit pretty early before the class he was teaching. I guess he choose that time slot in order to have an excuse to leave if the conversation turned to a awkward subject, but he did help me to walk a bit into the room as I had some trouble to do it by myself. I needed a bit of support but the doctor assured me that I would be running in no time, just needed my muscles to wake up.
Olendzki asked me not to try to walk on my own just yet and only do it when supervised by someone. I just smiled in response.
I was bored alone in my room as it let my mind wander on pretty painful subjects, so I peeked at Olendzki office, from my bed, from where the blind was open.
Could she be more dull?!! I thought as I finally saw her stand up and leave the building.
I looked around. Oh screw being reasonable. I have never been reasonable!! I said standing up very carefully and using the bed, then the chair and then the wall as support as I walked slowly, but stiffly. I opened the door and heard some loud and angry whispers coming from the other side of the corridor, probably one foot or two from the corner.
I walked there and peeked discreetly. It was Kashka and Adrian and they were glaring at each other with anger. They were so involved in their argument that they wouldn't even notice me.
"Oh cry me a River Moroi!" She said to him with anger. "I won't swallow your crap so try it on some mentally challenged girlfriend of yours."
However as I couldn't see Adrian's face and as he whispered way more calmly, but yet still in a threatening way than her I couldn't understand what he was saying.
"I get that!" She said annoyed, "but your intentions are not pure we both know that!" She said pointing at him. "I kept my mouth shut for Vasilisa and Oreza even for Rose herself, but as little I know about her I know that she would want the truth."
Adrian said something throwing his arms in the air. I only managed to hear 'selfish' and 'cruel'
"No it's not," she said. "Whatever I won't listen to you anyways. If none of you do it I will. I'll give you 'til graduation and I'll tell her everything." she said crossing her arms over her chest looking at him in defiance. "I'd probably kick your royal Ass in the process, which is only a bonus."
He looked at her and whispered even more quietly.
She laughed. "You tried to use compulsion on me? Really??" She shook her head. "'You won't tell her anything,'"she said on a deep baritone voice laughing harder. "You maybe have super compulsion, but I have some tricks of my own govniuk!" She said and I smiled because I knew the meaning of that word. "I've got a charm blocking your magic tricks." She finally looked serious again. "Try that once more and I'll tell her everything now and she wouldn't even look at you again understand?" She added with such a threatening tone that I had a cold shiver run down my spine.
Boy the scary Russian shit was genetic too then as she recalled me of Dimitri threatening Victor.
At this instant I heard a very loud throat clearing behind me. It was clearly done to catch my attention, but it caught Adrian and Kashka attentions too and as soon as they saw me they both turned whiter than a ghost.
I turned around and probably dropped two or three shades too.
"Mom?" I said awkwardly keeping my hand on the wall.
I saw her mouth twist in disapproval and the two others left us alone, almost running out.
Thanks Judas! I thought angrily.
She sighed, shook her head and helped me to the room and sat me on the bed and stood in front of me.
I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Okay let's get that over with." I said pleased to have such a steady voice. "You can tell me how irresponsible I was, how disappointed you are, what a shame I am for you, how you reprove what I shared with Dimitri, how it was all childish, immoral and whatever." I said jerking my head up in defiance.
And then, what happened couldn't have been expected even in a million years.
She hugged me tight, kissed the top of my head.
"I'm so sorry for you Rose… So so sorry." She whispered against my temple and that's when I started to cry, my face buried in my mother chest.