Heyyy! Second day of school and already I've been dealt with 4 hours of homework and practically memorized everything about the imperial measuring system. Just letting all you imperial using folks that it is the most annoying, useless and pattern lacking thing I have ever had the displeasure to learn. No offense or anything. But you should expect this after five and a half hours of mind numbing conversions and word problems. Basically, I'm never moving to any place that doesn't have the metric system in place. All for the sake of my sanity.

Anyways, another chapter for you! I was going to put a more mature scene in (I did get a couple of good ones, both of which would have worked well in this) but after writing it out I realized that, well, along with it being very crappy it just didn't feel right in the story (or having it in my computer where my mom, or anyone else, could secretly creep upon my writing…)

So, enjoy :D And thanks to my secret partner for this idea :D

I have a cheerleader and a partner. Who shall be next to join my team? –insert mysterious spy music here-

Disclaimer: I am Darla. Not Richelle Mead. I own my ideas. That is one thing Mead cannot copyright.

I burst through the door, flushed and panting. Turned out I had been out there for hours whereas I thought I'd only been an hour at most. The sun was starting to set, putting everything into a softer light. The door slapped the wall behind it from the force I had used and was about to start talking a mile a minute when my nose picked up on something it really liked. "Is that… pie?" I'm almost as bad as those dogs from Up! who drop everything for a squirrel.

Dimitri turned around, face smeared with flour that had obviously exploded. He smiled. "Yes. But something tells me I shouldn't let you have any. I thought you'd run away or something."

"Me? Runaway?" Yeah, it was one of my more well-known moments but runaway? From Dimitri? "Pish posh," I waved my hand distractedly and took off my muddy shoes before moving to peer in front of the oven, watching as the top of the pie turned golden brown.

He chuckled. "It won't be ready for another five minutes so save yourself from the face burn."

I turned my face away from the appealing sight and fixed my gaze on an equally (or more so) attractive one. "I've got some news. Big news."

He sat down on the counter top, listening. "Okay."

"Victor didn't kill the Queen."

His face automatically showed shock. "What? But he told you! He admitted it fair and square! Who was it then?"

"Ambrose."

His face darkened. "That," I saw him trying to come up with the perfect adjective that wasn't along the lines of 'sexylicious' and, obviously failing, continued, "guy that gave you the note from Tatiana?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Sent a video to Adrian with his confession and why he did it and all the evidence to convict him."

"Huh." He obviously had expected it as much as I had. "So, is he going to court?"

"No," my throat closed at the why. Dimitri cocked an eyebrow, silently asking me to continue. I felt tears burn as I chocked out, "'Cause he's dead." I bit my lip to stop it from shaking. Who cares if he killed the Queen? Or accidently framed me? I liked the guy.

"He's dead? Don't tell me Adrian avenged you."

For some reason that comment made me angry, maybe the bluntness of saying Ambrose was dead, or the scoffing way he asked about Adrian. "No! He fucking committed suicide because he felt so guilty." My voice softened, "He made a point to mention he never intended to hurt me, never mind get me executed." I was sitting on the floor now, resting against a cupboard. A handle dug into my shoulder but I ignored it. Not like I had the energy to move anymore as Ambrose's death finally started to sink in. A warm tear slid down my cheek.

Dimitri immediately jumped into action, coming up beside me and pulling me into his arms, running his fingers through my hair to calm me. "So, I'm assuming you got this all from Lissa?"

I nodded into his chest, letting out a soft, "Duh." I felt his smiling lips press to the top of my head.

"Well, he had the decency to clear your name before perishing."

I snorted. "Yeah, great way to explain it, Comrade. Thanks. And no, it does not make me feel better. I'd have been so much happier if Victor was the one that killed Tatiana."

We just sat, there, embracing by the warm oven until the timer went off. Dimitri slowly and carefully disentangled himself, not because he cared about the pie more than me but because he didn't want the house burning down with me in it. Or at all, if possible.

The oven door clanked as it slammed shut and Dimitri placed the steaming pie on the stove to let it cool off. I'll admit that the sight of Dimitri with flour on his face wearing pink oven mitts and a 'Kiss the Cook' apron really turned me on. Besides that, it was just a sight to see. Badass Strigoi killing ninja machine baking pie. "What would happen if I took a picture of this and sent it to Lissa? Do you think your reputation would go down the drain?"

Cutting the pie into eighths, he answered, "I think it would give away our location and ultimately end up with your death."

"Why? Because the court hasn't seen the video yet?"

"No, because I'd have to kill you to get your cell phone."

I smiled, feeling better with the banter. "True true. I wouldn't give up that piece of blackmail for anything."

"How about for a piece of pie?" He held an immediate life maker in his hands, traditional apple.

"Deal." I reached up and he placed the plate in my hands, handing down a fork after. I took a bite into its eternal yumminess and asked, "Where the hell did you learn to bake like this?"

"My mom." Why didn't that surprise me?

"Mamma's boy are we?"

"Well, I couldn't be a daddy's boy, now could I?"

I shut up and shoved some more pie into my mouth. After a minute, I asked, "So, what do you think they're going to do about… the video?"

Dimitri stared past me for a moment, lost in his mysterious thoughts. His fork lay spearing a piece of apple. "I don't know for certain. They'll probably watch it about ten more times, take notes from it, watch anything that could hinder or help them in their case before they release it. Abe's going to have to write all new questions for his trial." He looked back down at me. "But anyways, you shouldn't worry about this. If anything, this video assures your innocence." I nodded and lifted my plate to my face, pie done, and started to like the remaining sauce off. Dimitri rolled his eyes at my and plucked it from my hands, tossing it in the sink. "Go have a bath or something. I don't know how you managed it but you're filthy."

"Oh, so you have a problem with me being dirty now?"

He didn't miss the innuendo. He rolled his eyes and viciously waved his hand, telling me to 'Get out and take your Ipod with you."

I stuck my tongue out at him but did as he said, pushing myself to my feet and making my way to the bathroom after quickly picking up my Ipod. The tub was probably the biggest feature in the bathroom which basically meant it was just a bit bigger than the average sized person (gigantic for me and tiny for Dimitri.) I slowly took off my damp clothes, tossing them onto the floor. I turned the water on, making sure the water pouring out was burning hot, before slipping in, flinching as the hot water threatened to burn my skin. I leaned back in the water, the ends of my hair spreading out like a fan around me. I used a dry hand to place my earphones in and then turned the volume up, relaxing to the sounds of normal life while I washed weird-forest-living-life off my skin.

XXX

I stepped out of the steaming bathroom, knotting the cloth belt around my waist to close my bathrobe since I didn't think Dimitri would be pleased if I walked into the kitchen, baring it all. Well, he might be but I wasn't going to. Seemed a bit too bold, even for me. Running my fingers through my wet hair, I stopped dead in my tracks, mouth gaping, as I took in the view of the kitchen.

On the island counter (the only thing that could be called a 'table'), a dinner set for two shone in the light of the flickering candle. On the plates lay orange chicken, Chinese noodles and heaps of rice with stir fried veggies on top. Besides the fact that this particular dinner was my absolute favourite, I was amazed by the set up of the kitchen. Candles glowed all over, giving a romantic glow to the otherwise dark room. And the smell. Outside the smell of delicious Chinese food was the sweet smell of roses. Everywhere there was roses. On the island, the stove, around the candles. Rose petals were scattered all over the floor.

Dimitri stood off to the side in a black button up shirt and slacks, a red rose in his hand. "What do you think?"

I still couldn't take my eyes off the gorgeous scene in front of me. I shrugged, "Not bad." I smiled before Dimitri could make a hurt face and walked up to him, taking the rose lightly in my hand. "It may not be bad, but it is absolutely the most romantic thing you have ever done for me." His face split into a huge grin and I planted my lips against it, wrapping my arms around his neck.

Before the kiss could go to deep though, Dimitri pulled back, using his finger to play with my pouting lip. "Not now, Rose," he laughed, "you know this stuff is no good when it gets cold." I had all but forgotten about the food before Dimitri had mentioned it.

"All food is good, no matter the temperature," I urged.

He just laughed again, untangling himself from my arms. "Don't be ungrateful." He lead my by the hand to my bar stool and pulled it out for me. "Eat."

I looked down at myself, clad only in a cloth robe. "But I'm hardly dressed up for a dinner such as this."

He leaned down to whisper in my ear, his breath tickling me. "I think that you look perfectly sexy in your current attire."

My cheeks were as red as the rose I still held in my hand as I sat down in my offered chair. Dimitri sat down on the chair beside me, offering me the utensils wrapped in a dark red napkin. I smiled and took them, unravelling a fork for myself and leaving the knife resting on the napkin. I felt a rush of love towards Dimitri and what he had set up for me, knowing how distraught I was over Ambrose. I took a bit of orange chicken and said, "You really know how to cheer a girl up."

"Do I know how to make a girl know I love her?"

Those words sent my cheeks burning all over again. "Really? No fading?"

He smiled, "No fading," and bent down to give me quick peck on the lips, which I immediately latched onto and made deeper. This time though, he didn't pull back, instead wrapping his arms around my waist and lifting me up to place me on his lap so that we didn't have to lean across our chairs. I wrapped my legs around him and tangled my hands in his hair, pulling him as close to me as humanly possible and then a bit. I was conscious of every body part pressed against me. His hips against my thighs, chest against chest, his strong arms against my back and grappling through my hair. I'd never felt more warm in my life than I did just now, pressed so closely against the man I loved. His presence alone set me on fire.

My tongue flicked against his bottom lip and his mouth opened, giving me access to his warm mouth. Tongue against tongue, lips against lips, hips grinding against hips. But even though it was becoming one of the best moments of my life, my body had to betray me and break apart for air. My chest heaved violently as it gasped, trying to take in as much air as possible. Dimitri's lips roaming against my throat caused it to hitch again and I moaned, tilting my head back to give him greater access to my neck as I let my hands freely roam the hard muscles of his back, his neck, his soft hair. After I couldn't take it anymore, I pulled his head back up and crashed my lips against his again, feeling his stubble rub across my palm. I bit his lip lightly, causing him to moan. My hands traveled down his chest, popping a button every time my fingers came in contact with one. Soon, his shirt lay open, revealing his perfectly tanned and toned chest, one that he had worked on his entire life. I ran my hands over each sculpted muscle, the heat burning through my fingers and all the way down to my lower stomach. Dimitri soft tongue pried my lips open again and he ravaged through it. I opened my mouth wide, not afraid to convey how much I wanted him, loved him.

I slid his shirt off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. My tongue traced patterns on his now exposed skin as I sucked and kissed his shoulder. I slowly made my way up his neck, to his jaw and back to his lips where Dimitri kissed me hard. I could feel my lips bruising and I broke apart, a thin string of saliva hung between us before I wiped it away. We were both breathing hard, forehead against forehead. Dimitri had a huge grin across his face and his breath fell in puffs against my nose. "You know, it isn't really fair how you can undress me, and not allow me to return the favour."

I snorted. "Undress me once and undress it all."

His eyebrows rose at that. "You mean…?" Dimitri blushed. Like, honest to god, blushed.

I smiled slyly. "Yes. This is all I've currently got." And when I said that, I was suddenly conscious of the fact that while I wore no underwear, my legs were spread far and wide around Dimitri. I didn't dare look down.

He smiled slyly right back at me, a hand rubbing my hip. "So, if I can't undress you, I dare say I should be able to just pass by the clothing, right?" Before I could answer though, his hand started to move into the top of my robe. I felt his warm and callused fingers dance across the flat part of my chest. I glared at his teasing and kissed his earlobe before starting to suck on it, hoping to tease him enough to make him stop it towards me. I must have gotten my message across because his hand slowly moved lower to cup my breast.

SLAM!

We both froze before quickly jerking our heads around, all our hands returning quickly to ourselves, to see a much paler than normal and completely outraged Abe, standing behind me at the door. "This wasn't quite the welcome committee I was expecting after having Chinese dropped off for you guys. Mind you, it doesn't even look like you ate any of it."

I wouldn't be surprised in the least if Abe put a hit on Dimitri right this moment. His face clearly showed that he was thinking about it.

Yay for being caught by your dad while making out with a man 7 years older than you!

Anyone have a story like that? Put it in your review to help lighten the load of learning about globalization and random math stuff :D

So, if you didn't already get the memo from the past 24 chapters, I daresay you aren't being very observant: REVIEWWW!