A/N: SO I thought about how depressed I'd be if my soul mate (one I don't have) had to keep leaving me over and over again because of his job so this chapter continues the drama. Squeals and also as a fellow fan mentioned: I lost my train of thought…on Dimitri.

RPOV

I can't take it anymore. I feel like I am about to explode. My horrible week continues as so:

The knowing headache that no amount of medication will make go away, the sleepless nights I'm drinking the dark caffeine work-a-holics use as their drug, the terrible dreams that jolt me awake on the nights I'm too lazy to get my buzz drug, the empty space beside me in the bed, the long days on the hunt (it's easier to corner in strogoi during the day I found out), and the long nights still on the prowl. The lies to Dimitri about how everything is going okay on the few times we talk on the phone.

Not to mention the taunting letters from Victor about my future disorientation, forgetfulness, possible fading eyesight from seeing ghost for so many years. Plus the weight of his annoying letters on my shoulders.

The nightly searches for Strogoi hideouts have lessoned a bit. The deaths of guardians have decreased.

The way the queen sees it and orders it is, "we hunt them first before they hunt us this team."

Alex says the queen is just afraid that she'll loose control over her 'people' if she doesn't start taking action.

"It's what my aunt says. She reads long distance to the queen," she tells me.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Everyone needs a consultant. I guess the queen consults my aunt. Just prove how accurate she is, reading for royalty," she smiles, jokingly smugly.

"Well if she's that good, have her squeeze me in again in the near future. With the way my life is going, it would be nice to know what's to come before it happens."

Alex's been a good friend, all smiles even in the darkest of times. She's also a kick ass-assin fighter and very quick and efficient on kills.

"I mourn the kills later, on my own time. My aunt says it's best to mourn in your own hour rather than in the view of others," she recites.

"You talk to your aunt a lot don't you."

"She's all I have," she shrugs. "What about you?"

I turn away for a second, staring out the car window (we're on our way back to Court). "I have my mom and the boyfriend I told you about before."

"Ahh," she nods, knowingly. If I could guess, I'd think she was a psychic too. "You're mom moroi or dhampire?"

"Dhampire. She's stationed somewhere with an a in it or something." I blush. You'd think I'd know where my own mother was on watch.

"Somebody I might know?"

"Janine Hathaway."

"Ah. A well known. I might have guessed."

"I bet you would have."

When we get back to court it's posted that all students and guardians will be sent back to their academies within the week. I feel a kind of gladness wash over me. The academy might be school but it's still my only home.

And then I remember the academy is what's keeping Dimitri and me from being together, living normal lives.

Happy feeling over.

Alex and I depart for our rooms when the receptionist at the front desk flags me down.

"Yoo hoo! Are you Rose Hathaway?"

"Last I checked."

She looks from a paper in her hand and back to me.

"About five two, long haired, student looking Rose Hathaway?"

"Hope so."

"It also says you're a sarcastic smart mouth. It's you." I resist the urge to slap her. "There's two letters and a delivery for you." She hands me a small card and a medium sized box.

"Please don't let this be from Victor," I moan.

She eyes me.

"Thank you!" I slap on the best fake smile I can and head for the elevator about to tear open the letters.

Dear Rosemarie,

I have yet to receive a reply so I am going to assume you have ceased to exist or choose not to answer an old chum but I'll pick the latter. I'd like to let you know that weather or not you reply I will have a few messages sent to you. Not the small kind n a small white papers as so but the kind the results in agonizing pain and bruises. Should've written me sooner but now there's no turning back and from what I hear, Belikov isn't present to save you.

Always a chum,

Victor.

I feel my mouth fall open and my eyes widen in surprise. I knew this guy was nuts but never stalker like. My face reddens in the reflection of the glassy floor. Someone clears their throat ahead of me in the elevator.

I look up at a man holding the elevator door open.

"Are you going up or are you just going to stand there?"

Moroi.

"No. I actually have a problem to take care of," I mumble to my self turning on my heel, ready to face my first problem alone.

On my way there, Dimitri's threat toward Victor pops into my head. I wonder how far he'd really go if anything should ever happen to me. It's a sweet thought in a creepy way and I brighten a bit at how over protective he is of me.

The man at the prison cell desk eyes my goofy smile.

I recompose my expression to the blank guardian like face and speak.

"I was hoping I could speak to Victor D-"

"I was told you'd be here," he interrupts.

"Okay…so can I-"

"GO on."

Victor wasn't transported to the main prison because of some paperwork or something so he's been here since the trial. I walked up the stairs and towards the cell I visited once before.

He stands looming over me behind the cell.

"Well well. I can't say I'm surprised to see you. I knew my letter would fire you up enough to bring you up here," he greets.

"Hello to you too sun shine." He chuckles wickedly. "So I have one question and one question only."

"I thought you might."

For a second he sounds so much like Alex with his knowing talk.

"Just who the hell do you think you are sending me threats? I'll tell you," I answer before he can breathe a word. He lets me continue with a smirk on his smug face. "You're some washed up prince, with nothing better to do but try and corrupt and plan your dictatorship over the moroi government. I'll also inform you, because you seem to be at a loss of memory, that you're behind bars and soon you'll end up with a cell mate named Big Joe and become his plaything."

I wait for a smart ash response but he only stares, eerily, down at me.

I twinge at the creepy feeling her gives me.

"It was oh so kind of you to come down here to inform me of my social standing and current…" he gestures around the cell "…lock down. But I actually, tricked you down here because you weren't responding to my letters."

"Did you really think I would?" I cross my arms over my chest and lean to the side.

"Answering those letters would've been for your own being."

"Since when do you care about someone's own being?

He laughs to him self. "Rosemarie, before you had me incarcerated in a place meant for delinquents with no social standing, I was fighting for peoples well being. If only any of you would've listened."

"You plotted to kill."

"I plotted to take control of the killings that were already happening."

"Thank you, that sounds even better in my favor," I retort.

"You know you always spoke before thinking." He paces around the small spaced cell eyes on me. "Tell me has it set in?"

"Has what set in?"

"The permanent headache that won't fade, the blurry vision or the sleepless nights?"

I don't answer swaying on my feet. He opens his mouth to continue but the swift appearance of Dimitri throws even the great Victor off.

"Oh great. Now we can have a party," Victor claps excitedly. We both eye him question just how insane this man is.

Dimitri looks down at me.

"Rose, what the hell are you doing here with this?" He juts his finger towards Victor.

"I…really needed to get him to go away."

Victor smiles at my annoyed expression.

"Go away? What are you talking about?"

Dimitri's questions brown eyes lock onto mine. I realize for a moment I didn't have time to enjoy his appearance.

"I um-"

"She hasn't told you? About her imminent early death, impending doom, unusually permanent pain? You both have loads to talk about. Oh how I wish I could be there."

"Dimitri I-"

"From the look on your face Belikov, you look like you've been unaware of dear Rosie's health status. I'd be mad."

"We're done, leaving, you're not going to see us again." Dimitri's grip on my waist tightens, pulling me in the direction of the door.

"It won't fade you know. It'll only get worse," Victor calls.

We both glance at him, silently expecting a finish to such a sentence. He stays silent, prying the question out of Dimitri.

"What will?"

"The lies, the ghost, and dear Rosemarie's constant pain plus the status of your…inappropriate relationship. It'll all fall further and further until you both hit rock bottom. Either that or I'll have somebody finish you off my self."

In a flash, Dimitri pushes me aside and grabs Victor by the collar of his shirt.

"If you ever send anyone after her again I will personally make sure you die a slow and painful death and go straight to hell and I'm not bluffing."

It's a repeat of I before visit but ten times worse.

"I figured you'd get a little testy, I've done enough damage for today. When you want my help, you obviously know where to find me, but don't wait too long or I'll have someone sent to come for you."

"Remember what I said, Dashkov."

When I look back past Dimitri's protective arm, I see a tiny hint of fear in Victor's eyes.

A/N: What'd ya think? R&R please.