I know, I know! Don't kill me, explanations at the end!

Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.

Dimitri Belikov

Three Weeks Later

"We have gathered you all here today for an important meeting." Gemina Croft stood in the small stage along with members of the Elite High Council, their gazes sharp as they swept over us.

This morning Guardians had been notified to meet at the large meeting room for an important announcement right before breakfast. So, here the majority of us were, though slightly tired and hungry.

"In your absence, we have sent groups of our own Guardians to take your place. Last night, they stopped a group of Strigoi working together from planning an attack on Court. Now-now, this is no cause for alarm-" Gemina raised her voice significantly to be heard over the rush of mutterings that had risen in the crowd.

"So are we being sent back?"

"But were just getting to the good stuff!"

"We're not ready to be sent back! We still have so much to learn!"

"But we were finally going to really start getting into sword fighting!" Nicholas frowned from beside me.

I nodded in agreement, though not for the sword fighting, even though it is rather exciting.

THWEEEET!

The chatter cut off when Agent David Reid stuck two fingers in his mouth and let out a piercing whistle. Gemina nodded at him gratefully.

"Now, as I was saying, the Moroi and Court are fine. The Moroi do not even about the plan, only our Guardians and their Guardians do and we intend to keep it that way for now. The threat was neutralized instantly, before they even managed to get their ideas off the ground. You all will be staying here to complete training. We have been tracking several Strigoi movements around the world, and for now, all seems to be calm. However, we should remember that calm can often become a prelude into chaos. That is why we have our Guardians out there while you all finish the training you need to be able to truly take on the Strigoi and whatever they bring. Anyone who disagrees or wants to return to Court can come see me after this meeting, but for now, we have some new developments that Agent Reid will deliver." She nodded toward the man before allowing him to take over.

He stepped forward confidently. "Morning all. I want to start by reiterating that Court is safe. We have the best of the best out there. Now I know some of you may be getting impatient, wondering why you are still here-"

Actually, no one was thinking that. Most people were probably thinking about training sessions for today. We had really started to pick up the pace and the sessions were just getting more and more interesting. We had been improving quickly and the instructors had seen that, allowing us more freedoms during sessions, allowing us to find out own unique fighting style as they put it. It was truly liberating here. It was nice to go back to basics, going back to the beginning and rebuilding better fighting techniques for ourselves.

And for me there was the added bonus of Roza and I managing to hold civil conversations with each other ever since the night she allowed me to walk her home. She would make little comments about my technique, good and bad, during the sessions, not often than not offering me a little smile as she walked away.

As pathetic as it sounds I lived for that little smile.

"We feel that it would be to the benefit of all if you stayed, however the decision is ultimately up to you. Remember that we do have men and women on the ground in your place, so there is no real cause for concern." Agent Reid finished up his speech, his gaze sweeping across the room before he stepped back and let Guardian Croft take over once again.

"We have spoken to some of your instructors and they all say you are all proceeding quite nicely, and for that, we applaud you. We all know first hand just how hard these trainings are, but we know that once we are done, you all will be even more equipped to take on the Strigoi. Now," Croft grinned, "in light of these new developments at Court, we Guardians here and the Elite have devised to add another component to the training." She nodded toward another one of the Elite Council members and a tall blond, Agent Matthews I believe, stepped forward.

"As you all probably know, most of the Elite Agents here are in partnerships, about seventy five percent in fact. And about fifty five percent of Guardians here are in partnerships. Now, we don't know how many of you work in pairs or if you ever have, but you will be starting next week." Agent Matthews looked around before starting again.

"Now if you have been in a pair before, we want you all to know that Elite pairs are much different than your average partnerships. Most of the classes at the Elite are taught by two instructors, who are partners so perhaps you have had a chance to observe them and see how they are. Soon you will be in their shoes, training along side your partner."

"We are in the process of pairing up you with our Guardians here in Caelum, so the partners will be announced next week. In the mean while prepare for your work load to increase slightly. We will be adding a class to get you and your new partner acquainted and that will give you some new techniques when fighting with another person by your side." Another Elite Council member, Agent Simons, added.

"You are now dismissed. If you have any questions, please come and talk to any one of us. Thank you." Head Guardian Croft nodded, as did the Council members.

A few stayed back to talk while the rest of us filed out of the hall, ablaze with opinions on the matter.

"I wonder how well this is going to turn out."

"What if we end up hating our partner?"

"What if they hate us?"

"I think it'll be cool! And we'll get to meet new people…"

"I hope I get someone epic! Then we can be a pair of epic-ness!" Nicholas enthused as we left.

"I hope you get someone who can deal with that ego of yours," Pavel snorted.

"Well I hope you get someone who isn't as much as a stick in the mud as yourself," Nicholas retorted. "Right Sergei?"

Sergei let out a gruff grunt, which the rest of us took as a yes.

We then had to part to go to our separate classes. Agents Tennant and Smith were there to greet us for the lecture part of Contemporary Combat Arts, but Isabelle and Lev were not there for training. Brushing it off, I went off to Histories of Species before leaving for lunch with Sergei and Nicholas. After lunch I headed to Basic Specialized Combat, eager to see Roza. There was just one issue with that.

Roza wasn't there.

Instead two other Agents were there in Roza and Noble's place. Agent Goss, a willowy African American woman with a pleasant smile on her face, and Agent Jude, the brawny, pale man with an apathetic demeanor.

"Where are Rose and Ben?" Someone asked the question I was thinking.

"Christian Ozera needed his Agents for something he's doing today. So for today, just for today, we will be taking over." Agent Goss' voice was just as kind as her smile.

"He needs all of them? All ten of them?" Someone else asked.

Agent Jude shrugged. "He said he needed the entire team. I think it's within the royal rights he has but was denied for years by your government." He said, shooting us a look that dared us to challenge his opinion.

No one did, the man had a point after all.

And so the session continued, Roza-less.

Rose Mazur

"Alright, recruits. I want nothing but your best out there! Do you hear me? I want to see two hundred percent commitment on this field! I want to see passion and glory! We will win because we have the hearts of champions, and our hearts beat as one! Now! Who's with me?"

Lev looked around the circle of our group expectantly, a slight crazed look in his eye.

"Any questions or comments?"

"I knew I should've let Jay be team captain," I muttered mournfully, though apparently not quietly as Lev shot me a hateful look while the rest of the gang chuckled.

"Alright, hands in!"

Ben, Jay, Sydney, Isabelle, Dianna, and I all put their hands on top of his, allowing him his fun.

"WE WILL DEMOLISH THEM!"

"YEAH!"

"WE WILL WREAK HAVOC ON THEIR REGIMENT!"

"YEAH!"

"WE WILL PILLAGE THEIR ARSENAL!"

"YEAH!"

"WE WILL DO THIS FOR MOTHER RUSSIA!" Lev cried.

"Seriously?" Isabelle snorted what we were all thinking.

Lev glowered.

"Shut up and win on three! One, two, three!"

"WIN!"

The group broke apart and began to sling their helmets on, protecting our heads as the padded vests protected our chests because those paintballs could do some serious damage.

Christian had gone to the Elite Council and "requested" (or demanded), that Team Eight plus Guardian Castile get time off today to accompany him on a very important "errand". This errand turned out to be paintballing with Sydney and Adrian. On this Monday afternoon, he had booked a paintball field, surprising and delighting all of us.

Our charge truly loved us.

The goal of the paintball game was essentially capture the flag. On the field were dozens of objects to take cover behind. On each side of the field was a flag, guarded by each respective team. To eliminate those of the opposite team, paint balls were used. Once you were hit twice, you were out.

In summary, it was a bad ass game, and everyone was really freaking excited.

"I don't care if you got "Mother Russia" on our side. We're gonna kick your ass bro!" Denis, the other team captain, shouted. He grinned at us before putting on his helmet and holding up his paintball gun warningly.

His team consisted of Leigha, Christian, Josh, Eddie, Adrian, and Artur.

The gang was quick to open up to my Court friends. Of course Eddie charmed everyone simply by being himself, so he was a favorite. There's a saying I like to throw around, "If you don't like Eddie or Josh, there's something wrong with you." And seriously, there is if you don't like two of the most likeable guys on the planet. Sydney, through a shocked and disbelieving the first time she had met everyone, quickly warmed to Leigha, the two of them discussing witchery and magic and all that good witchcraft stuff. And of course, Adrian just had to worm his way into the group. At first we liked to play around with him, calling him 'The Royal,' joking about how detached he was to real life due to his spirit use and royal upbringing. But then of course the man had to go and show the real, less annoying version of himself, and the gang ate it up, though we still like to rag on him for his royal status and former typical royal Moroi behavior.

"Are you ready for this, lieutenant?" Lev asked, turning to me with a mischievous smile.

I think I raised an eyebrow at him. "How did I get that position, captain?"

Lev glanced over at Jay and Ben and then, in a stage whisper, "Between you and me, they're all talk."

"Screw you, Markov. Just because I don't want to go with your plan of shoot at everything and anything, doesn't mean I suck!"

Ben meanwhile turned to me.

"So you're with him now?" Nodding toward Lev with mock disgust, "Really Love? The betrayal hurts!"

"So, I'm second in command because of my willingness to unleash the beat down?" I asked, ignoring Ben.

"We both know you and I will be the last ones on this field," he responded, slipping on his helmet.

I grinned before following suit.

Ben came to stand next to me, apparently getting over my "betrayal" quickly.

"You got my back, Mazur?" He asked as he slid his hand into mine.

I laced our fingers together and gave his hand a squeeze.

"Always."

Paintballing is something I would recommend to everyone on the planet Earth and beyond.

It is so much fucking fun.

It took capture the flag and multiplied it's awesomeness by adding paintball guns. Who knew shooting paint at your friends could be so relaxing yet exhilarating at the same time?

It was clear Denis' team had a strategy. They focused on one member of our team, all targeting that person while Adrian stayed back to guard the flag.

This strategy worked well, sadly, the first time. They got to Isabelle in the first ten minutes, easily hitting her two times.

"Damn it!" She shrieked as the computer announced her defeat.

"Player C from Team Mother Russian has been eliminated."

"You actually put in Mother Russia as our team name!?" Jay asked in disbelief.

"Shut up. I'm team captain, I get to name this team whatever I want to. Now, team huddle!"

We gathered around Lev as the computer announced a time out for Team Mother Russia. "Alright, one of you needs to go as bait, take one for the team. They'll surround us again, but now we'll surround them and just shoot them with everything we've got? Who volunteers as tribute?"

Everyone looked around and down at the suddenly fascinating ground.

"Dianna it is!"

Dianna glared her trademark glare, the glare she gave right before she unleashed her ax on some poor creature.

"Fine. But you're buying coffee for the next two weeks."

Our plan worked perfectly. Dianna, who deserves an Oscar for her performance, convincingly snuck through the field and allowed Denis' team to surround her. Our team surrounded them, and when they began to fire, all hell broke loose.

I got a shot on Christian before he ducked, while Eddie and Josh ganged up on Ben. Jay nailed two shots on Artur, as well as one on an unsuspecting Adrian.

The computer called Artur out, as he had been hit two times. Dianna also left, having been sacrificed for the greater good of Mother Russia. Eddie and Josh went off on Lev's trail while everyone else ran to re-position themselves behind barriers.

"Rose!"

I whipped my body down and my head toward Ben out of habit, just in time to dodge a blue paintball as it flew past my head. Ben appeared a few seconds later behind the barricade with me.

"Damn it!" Christian yelled, letting me know I was the intended target.

How nice of him.

I turned down to look at my partner as we hunkered down even more behind the barricade.

"Thanks," I breathed out, grinning.

"Must watch out for my girl," Ben grinned.

We pressed together even more as we heard paintballs fly past, closer to our position.

"Josh and Eddie have partnered up," he said. "No surprises there."

"My, they've partnered up have they?" I sighed exaggeratedly. "I wish I could have a partner in his horrible, horrible game." I peeked up at him through my lashes.

Ben grinned. "Alright then, partner, let's take down Christian," he said.

I laughed as Ben dramatically got up and peeked over the barricade, gun, full of deadly paint, in hand.

"Flag," I whispered, watching as Chris crept through the field toward our totally unguarded flag.

"Move, move, move!"

We shot from where they were, bursting forward to reach Christian before he could get to our flag. I fired the first shot, missing his side while Ben tried to get into a better position. Chris darted away, causing Ben and I to curse and pursue.

"I got your flank!" I shouted at Ben.

"My what?" Damn the man, he managed to raise his eyebrow while still chasing Chris who was trying to fire on him.

"Your flank!" I repeated as I shot toward Eddie who had been trying to sneak up on me from the side.

"You mean my arse?" he called back while he fired once more at Chris, missing as he darted behind a barrier.

"Well if you wanna get crude about it!" I smirked.

"She's just checking out your ass, bro!" Josh laughed, popping out from behind one of the barriers.

I felt the paintball hit me right on the chest before I could react. Fuck.

"You okay, Love?" Ben shouted.

"Yeah! But you gotta watch your own flank now!" I yelled, peering around the barrier in order to see anyone approaching.

Suddenly, the computer said, "Player B of Team Bad-assery, you're out!"

"Whoop!" Celebratory cheers rang across the field from Team Mother Russia.

"Don't worry about my flank!" Ben breathed out, "I'll get Christian! Go after Adrian!"

"You know, if you two could stop focusing so much attention on Ben's flank, or ass or arse, or whatever the hell it is, we're struggling down here!" Lev complained with a yell.

I got down and peered around the barrier once more.

"You know, when you yell we can hear where you are right?!" Denis yelled.

From the sound of his voice, I knew I was a safe distance away from him.

Oh, wretched irony.

I smirked as I stood to run.

Sorry about this, Denis.

"Player A of Team Bad-assery, you have been eliminated!" the computer said.

Aww, Leigha.

"Player B of Team Mother Russia, you have been eliminated!" the computer said once more.

I popped up to see Leigha exiting the field, looking pissed as she headed out. Jay stood only a small distance away from me, covered in red paint, obviously having been nailed. He followed Leigha, glancing around him as he did so.

Out of corner of my eye, I saw a flash of blonde hair, covering behind a barrier a few feet away. I crawled on the ground quickly and reached Lev, who nearly shot at me, his second, before figuring out who I was.

"How's it going over here?"

"Denis got me once, and then Josh narrowly got me a second time, while he positively killed Jay. Adrian is still guarding the flag, but he has a shot," Lev said seriously, so seriously I wanted to laugh.

But I didn't.

"And Eddie?"

Lev snorted in disgust. "Perfectly clean."

"Eddie got me once, which mean he's mine. Ben's going after Christian."

"I'll take Denis, you find Eddie? And if you find Eddie…" Lev started.

"You'll find Josh." We finished together.

"Let's find glory!" I grinned.

"For Mother Russia!"

"Is it just me or are you two full of adrenalin?" Ben asked as he joined us.

Lev laughed maniacally. "I'm so full of it I will not rest until we have tasted victory!"

Okay then.

A flash of blonde hair was visible from a few barriers away, and I took off running. Lev did the same in another direction, Ben in another.

Lev finished off Denis with one well-placed shot while Ben got a hit on Christian. I chose to go stealth on my mission to destroy the Eddie-Josh Bromance, ducking and weaving through the barriers, getting closer and closer.

I got a shot on Josh, but narrowly missed begin shot again by Eddie as he fired and ducked, not seeing if he hit me target or not. I crouched down, plotting.

"Player D of Team Bad-assery, you have been eliminated!" I popped my head over the barrier to watch Christian stalk off the field.

Now it was down to Lev, Ben, Sydney and I for Team Mother Russia. Eddie, Josh and Adrian remained for Team Bad-assery.

We so got this.

"How many shots are you at?" Ben yelled from a distance, attempting to guard our flag.

"One! You?" I called back.

"Same!"

"Rose! Get the freaking flag and run like hell!" Jay yelled from the sidelines.

"Finish him, Ben!" I yelled as I took off running.

I quickly weaved through the barriers and sprinted toward the flag.

"Player E of Team Bad-assery, you have been eliminated."

"Fuck!" Eddie bemoaned as Josh exited the field, though this was good news for me as his outburst had given me a general direction of where he was.

"Reminder to all remaining players that in order to win the player with the flag must make their way to the end of the field, where the barriers end," came the reminder from that damn computer.

Here, several things happened at once.

I let out a shot that missed Eddie. This alerted him to my location, and he began shooting back at me. Ben saw this and came to my aid. Now Eddie was shooting at both of us as we attempted to maneuver closer toward the flag…which we, in bad form, had forgotten that Adrian was guarding. To make a long story short…

Eddie got me.

Ben and I got Eddie.

Adrian got Ben.

What the fuck had just happened?

"Player B from Team Mother Russia, you have been eliminated."

"Player E from Team Mother Russia, you have been eliminated."

"Player C from Team Bad-assery, you have been eliminated."

"Shit!" Came the collective reply from Ben, Eddie, and I.

We stalked off the field together and joined the rest of the gang, who were shocked at the triple elimination.

I looked down at my paint splattered outfit when I noticed it.

"Eddie! You perv!" I shrieked as I saw where he had hit me.

Right on the boob.

"I'm the perv? Look at what you did!" Eddie cried, twisting around so I could see when I hit him…right on the left ass cheek.

Now, I would be lying if I said I didn't laugh at all. But I'm mature now, so I only snickered a bit, then snapped a quick picture for the blackmail archives.

"Guys? You realize what this means right?"

"There are three players left…"

Lev.

Sydney.

Adrian.

"Lev! Remember Mother Russia!"

"You got it Sydney!"

"We know he's your boyfriend and you love him, but right now, kick his fucking ass!"

"Get your shit together, Adrian!"

And so the rest of us became the cheerleaders. Vulgar ones.

Adrian had no choice but to abandon his post and go for our flag, which had no one guarding it anyway as Sydney and Lev were occupied with other things. Surprisingly, Adrian managed to get the flag, just as Lev managed to capture his.

Now it was a race to the end of the barriers.

Adrian ran.

Lev ran.

Sydney stalked.

Adrian seemed to have forgotten about his girlfriend.

Big mistake.

The royal was just nearing the end of the barriers when Sydney, sweet Sydney, his own devoted girlfriend, leaped out from behind the very last barrier, gun ready and posed.

Could she really shoot her own boyfriend?

Well, apparently, she could and would with no remorse.

She fired two shots in quick succession, getting Adrian right on the stomach.

"Player B of Team Bad-assery, you have been eliminated."

"Team Mother Russian wins."

"Yeaaaah! Sydney!"

"You go girl!"

"I knew you had it in you!"

"I told you she was the shit!" Lev roared with laughter as the rest of the team crowded around our prized secret weapon. Hey, you got to keep those hidden so no one will suspect your true master plan.

Meanwhile, over on Team Bad-assery, they were consoling each other and assuring Adrian that he did his best.

Sydney left the cocoon we had formed around her and headed towards her boyfriend, a slight smirk gracing her features.

"You know what that reminds me of?" She grinned, nodding at the paint splatters on his shirt.

We all settled down and listened eagerly.

"What you did you Valentine's Day."

Sydney's grin widened even more.

Adrian blanched.

"Babe, please. Do we really need to tell-"

"What'd he do Syd?" Dianna interrupted.

"Yes! Do tell!" Isabelle smirked.

"Well, you know those tubes of icing chocolate you can get in the baking aisle? Well he-"

"Shoot me, shoot me now," Adrian groaned.

"Shhhh! Later! Let the girl finish her story." Artur grinned.

"Anyway, as I was saying…he went down to the store and got a tube. Then he laid himself out on our bed shirtless, and wrote 'Sydney's Love Bug' across his chest. Then he told me to lick it off of him."

It went dead silent for about five seconds before all hell broke loose.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen…" I wheezed out from between gasps of laughter.

"Mate…" Ben and Jay said in stereo, smiles twitching from the corners of their lips.

"Oh my God! Oh my God!" Leigha and Dianna gasped out from between giggles.

"It hurts! It fucking hurts!" Eddie and Josh roared with laughter, leaning on either side of me while clutching their sides.

Isabella shook her head in mock disgust while the Three Musketeers fell to the ground laughing.

"And that is prime blackmail material! Thanks Sydney!" Christian smirked as he shook from trying not to laugh.

"Babe!" Adrian whined as Sydney laughed and placed a big kiss on his cheek.

After about ten minutes we managed to compose ourselves enough to get changed and head out for dinner.

We broke into smaller groups as we strolled down the sidewalk towards our dinner destination. I smiled as I looked around, seeing all of my dearest friends getting along so well with one another. Today had truly been epic, begin able to just let loose for a change. Don't get me wrong, training was fun as well, and there I got to see Dimitri, but sometimes a girl just needs time out with her friends. A quick check of my phone told me that training was over for the day. I wondered how they got on without us there. I wondered how they reacted to the partner news.

I'm sure they would be fine with being partnered up, after all…

I looped my arm through Ben's as we continued down the street.

He turned to wink at me.

Partners are pretty damn epic.

Well, mine is at least.

Okay, okay I know! It's been nearly three weeks since I've updated. My only explanation to you all is that school started and my shifts at work got changed around, so I'm basically learning a whole new schedule right now. I promise, after I figure out how to manage time better, updates will go back to their normal schedule.

Also, I do apologize for the errors found here. I will fix them later on but right now, I just needed to get this up.

Now, onto the good stuff…

The Guardians will be getting partners!

Who do you think Dimitri's partner will be? Here some hints to help you out…

-you all know him

-but he has not been in this story yet

-a major clue can be found in the Mirrors chapter three chapters back

Haha! Happy guessing!

Now, because you all were so patient with waiting for this chapter, some sneak snippets/quotes from the next one! And next chapter, how to be a kickass partner 101!

Rose strolled into the room and stopped when she spotted the Guardian waiting for her at the front of the room. She let out a squeal and ran into his open arms. He picked her up and spun her around a few times, the two of them laughing. After the man had set her down, she grinned up at him, placed her hand on his cheek and said, "My favorite Russian."

"There is a bun in the oven!"

"We eloped like…three hours ago."

"I love you, Ben-Ben."

Have a nice day wherever you are!