Rose's POV.
It was right after a guardian meeting that he came up to me. I was with Eddie, talking battle tips. It had been exactly one week since I had been back, exactly one week since I killed my father.
"May I speak to you for a minute, Guardian Hathaway ?" He asked hesitantly. He called me Guardian Hathaway. It was weird, I didn't like it.
"Yeah. See ya later Eddie." I said. Dimitri was already nearly out of the door when I caught up.
We walked for a little while in silence.
"I"m sorry." He whispered. He wouldn't look at me. He stared ahead.
"Sorry for what ? I know why you did it. You knew that strigoi was coming after me, and you tried to stop him...even if it meant hurting me." I replied. He still wouldn't look me in the eye.
" That's no excuse. Roza, the way you looked when I said you didn't matter to me...It was awful. I considered telling you right there about the stirgoi, but I didn't. And then he kidnapped you. I should have stayed, to protect you. I'm an idiot, and I'm sorry." He said, his faint Russian accent adding to his pain. I put my hand on the side of his cheek and made him look at me. He looked surpised by my touch.
"Don't be. I forgive you. But I do have one thing to ask, did the queen really offer you a post as her guardian?" I asked. I was curious.
"Yes. She did. But I rejected it. When I was...away, I was taking personal time. Well, that was my excuse. But when word that you were kidnapped reached me...I came back." His warm brown eyes burned with hatred and sadness. He didn't complete me. He was part of me, just as I was part of him.
I leaned in, smelling his aftershave. He seemed to lean in also, but hesitantly. It was clear he hasn't forgiving himself yet for what he said to me. I then pushed my lips on his, and it was like a fire burned inside me. Never, since he got back from being strigoi, had we stayed apart this long. And I couldn't stand it anymore.
Our kiss intensified as he put one hand on my lower back and pulled me towards him. His other hand rested on my shoulder. I put my hands through his hair. I was aware of nothing else but us. Nothing else mattered. Just us. Forever. Always.