Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her books, just the stuff I make up.

Okay so I know, I haven't updated in forever...sorry....

But anyways here is chapter twenty which is in our favorite Russian's POV. Just like you asked ;)

But it's mostly a filler chapter so there isn't much...sorry!

20

Seeing her awake and somewhat back to normal made me smile. It however, did not remove the images of her from the past week.

The first time she had awakened I had been just around the corner. When I saw her the first thing I registered was her pain. Her hands had been clinching the quilt so tightly it was in danger of ripping. But I couldn't help but rush over to her.

When everyone left us she left me.

I stayed by her side for days. Every once in awhile she awoke, just to seize in pain, and every time it would almost kill me. Dr. Olendeski would rush in and help hold Rose down so she wouldn't thrash her way to her death.

This happened so much that Dr. Olendeski didn't think she would be able to survive. She had Rose connected to so many things I was beginning to feel doubt edge around my mind.

After three days Lissa snuck her way in.

"Dimitri?" she asked squinting in the darkness.

"Princess," I said greeting her without moving.

She sat down opposite me. She placed her hand on Rose's head. I saw her close her eyes in concentration.

Nothing happened.

She opened her eyes and tears spilled through them, "I'm sorry Dimitri."

I smiled weakly at her, "Give Rose time, she will return."

I prayed I was correct.

Lissa was persistent. She came back every chance she got to help Rose. I watched every time as Lissa would try with little success. But I couldn't say that Lissa wasn't succeeding a little. After the first day I could see more color filling Rose's hollow cheeks.

Alberta came in some time that Saturday.

"Belikov I need your assistance."

"Can it wait?" I asked.

"No."

I looked up to see her measured gaze glaring at me.

"I know you are grieving but you still have to fulfill the duties assigned to you."

I sighed and stood up, "What is it?" I asked flatly.

She looked me straight in the eyes.

"We have a problem that needs fixing," she said looking at me with earnest.

I narrowed my eyes, "Is it the same as before?"

She nodded.

That's when the door to the ward opened.

Lissa and Christian froze in the doorway holding what looked like lunch.

"Oh sorry," Lissa muttered.

"That's okay, we were just leaving," Alberta said suddenly grabbing my arm and steering me out of the room.

"Happy now? Someone to watch Rose while you are away," she muttered under her breath.

I glared ahead of me as I shook my arm out of her grasp. I followed her down the hall to another ward.

A very disgruntled woman was sitting up in bed. When she saw me she started shouting.

"I am sick in tired of people trying to coddle me! Just tell me what the hell is going on."

I ran a hand through my hair.

"Belikov," the fiery woman growled.

"What? I know you think you aren't informed but you are. There hasn't been any change."

"But how would I know that when I get refused when I asked to be moved?"

"Because no one wants you to see what is happening. We want you to recover, not be tormented."

She crossed her arms, "I think I should be the judge of what would torment me."

I walked over to the foot of the bed.

"Janine leave it be. Just trust me when I say you're better off in this room than the one down the hall."

I turned on my heel and walked out. I didn't go back to Rose's room I went outside. It was noon now and the sun felt good.

I collapsed under a tree, my head in my hands.

Janine had been putting up a fight for awhile now. She wanted to see her daughter, and I had to refuse her. Dr. Olendeski didn't think it would help Janine to see Rose in her state. Janine had suffered a lot of injuries. A broken leg, broken ribs, broken arm, and a broken collarbone and one massive head injury. She didn't even really know why she was mad. On good days we were happy she remembered she had a daughter.

I don't know how long I stayed there, but the stiffness in my back told me it was awhile.

I walked, solemnly, back to Rose's room.

Her door was cracked.

People were talking.

One voice brought a smile to my face.

"How many times Lissa?" that voice asked.

Lissa didn't answer, I did.

"Too many times to keep track of," I said pushing the door open.

Her eyes flashed to me. "Why do you always wake up when I leave your side?" I asked her.

A huge smile graced her face. She looked so much better I couldn't help myself but I tried.

I walked over and grabbed my chair and pulled it close to her.

"Roza please, never put me through that again."

She grabbed my hand, "Never," she said in a whisper.

I pulled her hand to my lips and kissed every one of her fingers. Then I bent down and kissed her head, her cheeks, her lips.

I didn't care that there were others in the room. I had my beautiful rose back with me again.

I caressed her cheek, "I missed you."

She looked up at me with her strange new eyes. Violet shards that you can barely discern from her normal eye color litter around the pupil.

"I missed you too," she whispers.

"If it matters to anyone," a snarky voice from behind us said, "I don't think I missed not having to see this. Discreet Dimitri, discreet."

I couldn't help but laugh a little as I turned around. "Do you even know the meaning of that word?" I asked Christian. Lissa was sitting on his lap, her arms around his neck.

He smiled, "Touché," he said hugging Lissa.

I never thought that I would consider Christian a good friend, but after all the things we've gone through, I couldn't not think of him that way.

Hmmm interesting...don't you think? Just wait....

Thanks for reading, review!!!