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THANK YOU
Sarah Odair
unnz4
sydney-ivashkov228

~chapter 20~

CPOV

When Rose came down the stairs I thought lightning may struck me. This was the second time I saw Rose dressed for an actual dance. And she looked even better than the first time. Truly a goddess. She wore a floor length blood-red robe, a light red stola and black high heels with crossed straps over her lower legs, only visible when she moved and the slit at her right leg moved apart. God, that slit showed more than was probably good but she looked gorgeous, a queen could be jealous of her appearance. She walked over to where I stood, while I talked to her through the bond and sent her some feelings of how I felt about her looks. »Damn woman how can you even walk in these shoes?«

"Honey, you should probably close your mouth. Just there I saw a fly looking pretty interested in a new flat." She smiled sweetly at me, put a finger on my chin and made me close my mouth. "But thanks for the compliment."

There was a shine in her eyes which I hadn't seen that often since we were an item. She looked truly happy and content with everything. It was a moment without worrying about anything, just being my girlfriend Rose. But when she blinked the moment was gone and she was my Guardian Rose again, banishing girlfriend Rose onto second place. She turned to everyone in the Belikov's living room, training her eyes on Dimitri especially.

"Okay guys. We do it like earlier today. Three cars just like for the mall. Everything clear?" She looked around waiting for any questions, but when none came she spoke up again. "Then let's get going. Don't want any Strigoi to attack us. Go go go."

I stepped aside when everybody else started to pile out the door and went to the designated cars. I looked at Rose just in time to see her blush.

"What is it honey? Why are you blushing?"

"Was that okay? I mean, their all trained Guardians. At least they have been at some point in their individual histories. They know me for two weeks and I just commanded them like I am their boss."

I stared at her, not believing what she had just said.

"You serious? That was awesome. You just showed them what good of a Guardian you are. And don't forget except for Dimitri none of them has a job. They're housewives. Though they are trained, or still in training like Vika, they need a tough woman to show them how it is done. Now, don't be ashamed of how you treated them just there. You did a pretty good job and let me tell you Master Dimitri was very proud of your doing." Rose chuckled lightly, a lovely sound to my ears as always.

"He'd better be, wouldn't want to disappoint my teacher. He probably would go all crying baby on me would I make a mistake. But seriously, I just bossed around my mentor. Who else can say that about themselves? Now let's go. These shoes are already killing me."

"But you look marvelous in them."

I gave her a soft kiss on the lips, before she could pull away and walk out the door. And let me tell you, her back looked just as nice as her front. I was just about to follow her when she poked her head back through the door.

"Stop undressing and eye-fucking me Pyro, we have places to be, people to meet, dresses and suits to show around. And Dimitri is horrible at waiting." She smiled again before skipping – yes skipping in these shoes – down the porch and walking graciously over to Dimitri and getting into the car. Dimitri looked up at me, brows furrowed while I still stood on the porch.

"She's right you know. I am really bad at waiting. Now hurry."

Jeez, better not let the Russian wait any longer. Somehow I felt like this would be two hours of 'let's-get-on-Chris'-last-nerve'. No fun at all.

RPOV

The last two hours were dominated by an awesome super round of 'killing Chris patience'. We had it all, jokes about his time at the Academy, stories about our school holidays when we got kidnapped in Spokane and best of all... embarrass Chris by telling stories from his childhood. Tasha did a great job with that. Since a few months ago I would never have thought of embarrassing Chris like she did. One could see that she loved him like he was her own and she did what friends have told me about so many times – embarrassed him like only a mother could.

I think the best moment was when Chris leaned over, so his mouth was close to my ear and he whispered something.

"Honey, could you do me a favor? Could you please not laugh about her stories? At least not that much? It's awkward as it is. You don't have to laugh about me to make it worse."

In response I had given him an apologetic smile and a little nod. But being me I couldn't stop and had to laugh again, not just a bit, more like crying from laughing too hard. I was truly sorry about laughing at him, but he seemed to understand. And he knew I was sorry. At least I hoped he knew.

»It's okay honey. Stupid things happened when I was younger. As long as it makes you smile. How could I forbid you that beautiful smile?«

"I'm sorry Chris, but these stories are just too damn funny." I said before giving him a soft loving kiss. All he did was giving me a sheepish smile at that.

"I know right? I can't believe that I was such a clumsy kid." After that we laughed about the stories together, harder and louder than anyone else in the car.

St. Basil's reminded me pretty much of good old St. Vlad's. It was in the middle of nowhere, encircled by iron gates and a castle so huge one had to wonder how many decades they must have spent building it. Still admiring the beautiful building I felt Chris nudging me in the side.

"It's beautiful isn't it? According to your book it was built around the same time St. Vlad's was."

Still not taking my eyes off of the castle I merely nodded in response. Chris actually had to take my hand and pull me with him, otherwise I would have kept staring. I didn't even register Dimitri walking next to me until he spoke directly to me.

"Wait til you see the gym. You'll love it." I tried to raise an eyebrow at him but failed like always.

"Just wait. Try some patience for a change." He chuckled lightly, but didn't bother to elaborate any further. When the gym was in sight Dimitri nudged me with his elbow and pointed towards it. Boy was he right. Just by seeing the outside I was totally impressed by the building. It looked nearly as big a the gym at the Royal Court and an enlightened running track encircled it. A bit closer to the gates was an open arena, probably used for the Dhampir's trials. I just thought that I'd love to see the gym and the arena in all their glory, when I registered that the dance was held in the gym. Vika msut have seen my disappointed look cause she came over to me and promised we could whenever we wanted, telling me that the gym was open 24/7 to every Dhampir that lived near the school.

"Wait til you see how they've decorated the gym and the arena. It's a sight you'll surely never forget."

"I thought the dance is in the gym?" She looked at me surprised.

"Ooh, right. I always forget you haven't been here before. The dance itself is in the gym. Bit there are always some announcements to make, that's what happens in the arena. It's like a graduating dance. Some of our students are rewarded for special achievements during their time at St. Basils's. They introduce new teachers and bid their farewells to those who leave for another school or are too old to keep teaching."

When Vika was done explaining this to me we stepped into the gym and I was nearly overwhelmed by what I was seeing. It wasn't decorated like the dance at St. Vlad's. Everywhere tables and chairs were arranged, white with purple bows at he back of the chairs. The dancefloor was in front of a stage on which a cameraman filmed the event, shown on the screen behind him. The DJ's booth was between the stage and the bar. Looking up to the ceiling I saw purple lanterns looking like they floated in the sky, the ceiling itself being decorated with fluorescent stars in all sizes.

"It's beautiful," I whispered to no one in particular. I could see Chris and Tasha nodding in response, rendered speechless by the sight.

"Told you so," said Vika, actually sounding proud of something. I took a closer look at her and had a feeling I knew why.

"You have helped with this, haven't you?" I asked her with a big grin.

"Yes, I have. It's tradition here. Each year all the students who'll graduate the next year plan the dances. It's pretty funny, stress but funny. Especially when others react to it like you guys did. It's just a shame I can't be part of it in the next year."

"Oh, you should be happy. True, you've helped with all of this and did an amazing job of it, but next year you won't have as much time to spare as you'd wish. You'll train for your finals, learn for your exams. You won't even have that much time for your friends anymore."

"That was your case Roza and you know exactly why you'd been stripped of any private life in your last year."

"Right. There actually rings a bell, when you say that. But know what Comrade? You didn't have any private life either, cause you had to take care of me." I answered, poking out my tongue at him.

"Yeah, cause he had so much life before he started to train you. Isn't that right Mister Antisocial?" Chris just had to say that. Dimitri's smile faded a bit but he recovered fast.
"At least I had time for my books before Rose got onto my last nerve."
Vika, who was walking ahead of us turned around, training her gaze on me.

"Tell me Rose, is my big badass brother still reading these mushy western novels every day?"

"Actually he is Vika." Viktoria started laughing at that, whereas Dimitri grumbled some unintelligible words and walked away from us. Next time I saw him he was talking to other Guardians, probably knowing them from his school time.

We danced a bit over the next hour or so, from time to time Viktoria introduced us to some of her friends. Some of them didn't take much interest in me, whereas others gushed over my name. I asked Nikolai what the matter was with them. His answer took me by surprise, before I heartily laughed over the new information.

"Hasn't Vika told you?" He had asked with a heavy accent. When I shook my head his eyes widened. "You're Rosemarie Hathaway!" No, really, nearly forgot that. "I mean you know that of course. But you're THE Rose Hathaway. The pretty much first Dhampir getting marks before even graduating, You fought an awesome battle, you got kidnapped by Strigoi and lived. You have graduated as valedictorian. You're a legend over here. Nearly everyone knows you. Even our teachers talk about you like you're a god."

"Ookay," I stupidly answered him. "So you're telling me everyone over here, or at least some of you, knows my story?"

He nodded like one of these dolls, you know the little dogs some have in the back of their cars. "You're as famous as Dimitri actually. He's the star student of St. Basil's. The teachers loved him, probably still do, seeing like they are waiting just to talk to him after so many years."

Some time later an unusual small Moroi, looking like he was in his forties, stood on the stage, taking the mic, telling the crowd to please go over to the arena. So we did. And it looked just as beautiful as the gym, except for the real stars in the sky. It was a beautiful clear night, not one cloud to be seen.

Again the little guy stepped onto the stage and took the mic once more. He started talking, me not really interested in whatever he was saying. Like always when someone started with a huge speech. From time to time the people around me applauded. I zoned back in when I heard Vika being called to the stage and looked up to it. Viktoria was saying something in Russian (all I could understand was 'Thank you' and 'my friends'). Chris didn't bother translating so it can't have been that important. I just heard my name somewhere in her speech when a noise like thunder ripped through the air. Looking up to the sky there still was not one single cloud. Getting an eery feeling of what was going on. I turned to Chris and Dimitri, seeing their shocked impressions. Chris was suggesting through the bond that we should do it like last time – him and I working together against them. The thunder sounded again (we still didn't know where it came from) and the Moroi in the crowd grew more agitated, wanted to run and hide.

"Chris I'm sorry, but we can't do this. My first and highest priority is to keep you safe. Please, I can't fight them when I'm here worrying about you. Please do me this one favor. Go in there, go with the other Moroi. Keep them calm and help the backup Guardians in there. I don't want to lose you in the middle of what is to come."

He had listened. To every word. He looked at me, calm as the sea on a sunny day, but through the bond I felt that he was angry, just trying not to yell at me. When he spoke I knew why.

"I already lost you once. We don't know if I can do this again. But what I know is that I can't lose you again."

I gave him a hard kiss right on the lips, quickly pulling away again.

"You won't lose me. I'll take care of that. I promise, but you have to stay safe for me, too. Now go."

And going he did. He looked over his shoulder, back at me and waved a goodbye. »I love you.« And then he was out of sight and Dimitri grabbed my elbow and dragged me to where the other Guardians where.

review please... and if you could maybe do me a favor... more than three would be worth worshipping you guys :)

don't own VA... but this plto is mine and i love it and i finally have fun writing it again...