"What? How did you – ? What are you doing here – ?" I babbled, my thoughts incoherent as he prised me away from the wall, watching him drag his eyes up and down my body as he assessed my injuries. I winced as he gently grabbed hold of my hand, my wrist feeling as if had been completely shattered. He muttered a quick, quiet apology before grabbing hold of my face, the anxiety clear in his face.

"Are you okay?" Dimitri asked, completely ignoring my question. I nodded, unable to answer as my mind whirled around hectically, trying to figure out what exactly he was doing here. I found it highly unlikely that he just happened to be passing through the neighbourhood. "Are you sure?" he asked again, my earlier nod apparently not a good enough answer.

"I'm fine," I told him through gritted teeth, but as soon as I tried to move, my body lurched forward and I couldn't manage to suppress the moan that tumbled out of my mouth. I fingered my face, the skin damp with blood that poured out of my busted lip. My left eye felt swollen. Blood was practically raining from my mangled neck. And I was pretty sure that damned strigoi had broken my wrist. But, seeing as I had just fought four strigoi and won, I couldn't really complain about the damage. "I'll be fine," I said, correcting myself as a shot of pain engulfed my entire being. I glared up at Dimitri, "Now, would you like to tell me what you're doing here?"

"Your friend – the alchemist – phoned me," he stated simply, causing me to near enough foam at the mouth.

"I'm going to kill Sydney," I exclaimed, not quite believing that she would do something like this. How dare she phone Dimitri? How dare she undermine me like that? It was as if she didn't trust me to take care of the situation. And sure, I had nearly died twice if Mia and Dimitri hadn't intervened, but that wasn't the point. I just couldn't believe that she would go behind my back and phone Dimitri of all people.

He watched my outburst with a look of serenity etched onto his face; a haunting of the person he used to be before the attack, before he was turned. "She was worried," he stated simply, but that was no excuse for what she did. I couldn't believe Sydney would do that. We weren't exactly super close best friends of anything, but I thought she trusted me. I thought she respected me and my abilities. After all, I had basically kept her in business during my time in Russia.

"That's not the point," I replied sulkily. Dimitri shook his head at me, but said nothing. I looked around the empty warehouse, trying to figure out if there were anymore strigoi present, but the nausea jolting around in my stomach had ceased completely. Once again, I tried to stand by myself, but my body had been abused so much that I just couldn't stay balanced. It felt like I had been repeatedly kicked in the ribs. And then I remembered; I had been repeatedly kicked in the ribs.

Silently, Dimitri offered me his arm to lean on. I glared at him, not quite trusting him, but I knew it was highly unlikely that he was going to push me to the ground. Begrudgingly, I leant on him, not enjoying our close proximity, but there was no other option. I was in a pretty messed up state, and unfortunately for me, he was the only one present to look after me.

We walked through the factory, everything silent bar the sound of our feet gently hitting the concrete floor. "Did the others see you?"

"The others?" Dimitri asked, quizzical.

I nodded. "Yeah, Mia and Eddie. I'm not so stupid, you know. I came with backup," I informed him, trying not to wince as I rested my battered skull against Dimitri's chest. In any other situation, I would have wanted to be as far away from Dimitri as possible, but it just wasn't an option. My skull felt like it had been split into several little fragments, and those fragments felt like they were penetrating my flesh. I sighed, trying to fight against the pain that was attempting to overcome me. But I didn't want to seem weak, especially not in front of Dimitri.

"I didn't say you were stupid, Rose. Reckless, yes, but not stupid," Dimitri replied, his voice full of concern. But then he stopped, registering what I had just said. "Mia, as in Mia Rinaldi? The moroi girl?"

I rolled my eyes at him, praying that he wouldn't lecture me on the dangers of bringing a moroi along to hunt strigoi. I knew the dangers. I knew it had been an awful idea. "You just said I wasn't stupid," I reminded him, trying to divert his attention.

"Rose, you endangered a moroi," he exclaimed, turning to face me. "What were you thinking?"

I tried to frown at him, but my face hurt too much. "Believe me, it wasn't my idea. If it had been up to me then she would have stayed behind. And anyway, do you see her here? No, you don't. Because I sent her back to the car because it was too dangerous," I growled, annoyed about the fact that I seemed to be blamed for everything, even when I was the one trying to clear up other people's messes.

Dimitri looked down at me, his facial expression softening. "I'm sorry Rose, I jumped to the wrong conclusion."

"Yeah, you did," I muttered, closing my eyes in an attempt to calm down. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. From this lengthy and unnecessary conversation I gather you didn't see them. Which means they probably didn't see you, which is a good thing because they can't know your here. Mia can't know you're here," I muttered to myself, trying to figure out my next move.

Dimitri looked confused, not following my hectic train of thought, but I didn't care. I wasn't exactly speaking to him. I was speaking to myself, which was further proof that I had turned completely and utterly insane. A part of me even wanted to be crazy. If I was crazy then I could pass all of this – everything from the car crash, to Dimitri being turned, to Tasha's revolution – as being a deluded dream. I could pass it off as being in my head, instead of being my reality. But even I couldn't lie that good. I knew it was real. All of it was real, and somehow I had to find a way to cope with it all.

I went to grab my cell, intent on phoning Eddie and telling him to go straight to the motel, but as soon as I moved my hand I remembered that my wrist was broken. I whimpered, causing Dimitri to look down at me suddenly, his mouth opening. I didn't need to be a mind reader to know what he was going to say. He was going to ask me if I was alright, even though it was pretty obvious I was in a lot of pain. I shook my head at him, wondering how I was going to get my phone out of my pocket. My other hand desperately clung onto Dimitri for support.

I cursed quietly to myself, before glancing up at Dimitri. "I need you to get my cell," I told him through clenched teeth.

"Where is it?"

I closed my eyes and tried to breathe calmly, but my nerves were rattled. I was rattled. "In my pocket. My jean pocket."

Opening one of my eyes, I saw Dimitri colour ever so slightly at having to be that close to me, but then his ever so stoic guardian face reappeared. He nodded, as if to reassure himself, before sliding him hand into my pocket – startling me ever so slightly even though I had asked him to do so – before producing my phone. "Dial Eddie," I ordered, waiting for him to do so. He held the phone up to my ear, and as soon as I heard my friend pick up, I started to speak. "Take Mia back to the hotel. I'm fine. Everything's sorted. I'll see you there in a while."

Eddie tried to respond, but as the words floated through the cell, I signalled Dimitri to hang up. Dimitri looked down at me, expectantly, waiting for my next order. "You drove here?" I asked. He nodded. "Good, you can take me to the hospital. We can talk on the way."

I don't know what surprised him more; the fact that I wanted to talk to him or the fact that I had admitted I needed medical attention. It took him a few minutes to fully comprehend what I had said, but after a slight pause, he basically dragged me out of the factory and to his car. "I have a first aid kit in the back," he said, ducking into the trunk to retrieve it.

I couldn't help but snigger. "Yeah, because a couple of band aids are going to completely heal me," I muttered to myself. But I didn't protest as Dimitri quickly and efficiently started to clean up my cut, wiping away the blood that was staining my skin. I winced, and he apologised several times, causing me to roll my eyes and get annoyed.

After he had finished cleaning me up and helped me into the car, he got in himself and started the engine. He had told me to hold a bandage to my neck, but I couldn't help but look. Peering into the rear view mirror, I took the bandage away to have a sneak peak. As soon as I saw the mangled, red and raw skin, I felt instantly sick. I pulled a face, and quickly covered my injury up again. "Great," I muttered darkly, "the last scar was only starting to heal up."

Next to me, Dimitri froze, his hands tight on the wheel. I turned to face him, wondering what had offended him now. And then I remembered that it was his fault I had a scar there in the first place. "Rose," he began, looking sadly down at me, his eyes pleading, "I really am sorry-"

"Shut up, Dimitri," I growled, not in the mood to pity him. His apologise meant nothing to me. I had forgiven him for everything he had done as a strigoi. He hadn't been himself when he had been turned. Yes, I had a problem with him. Yes, I hated him. But that was because of he did to me after he had been saved. Everything before that I could forgive. "It's no big deal. It's not like you were the first to drink my blood," I reminded him. And it was true. Both Lissa and Adrian had drunk from me. I was quite the little blood whore. "Anyway, we have bigger things to worry about. Like Tasha, for instance."

"Tasha," Dimitri repeated, his voice grave as I confirmed his suspicions that his friend – or former friend, I wasn't quite sure – was up to something.

I stared at the road ahead. "She's got quite the little army behind her; supporting her," I told him, not exactly sure why I was sharing this information with him. A part of me wanted to be part of the rebellion. The reckless, angry side of me wanted to join her. I wanted to fight with her. But the coherent, sensible side – a side of me that was extremely small and insignificant – knew it was wrong. What she was up to was wrong. But that didn't stop me feeling like I was betraying Tasha, talking about her behind her back, to Dimitri of all people.

Silence engulfed the tiny space between Dimitri and me. As he changed gear, his hand gently grazed across my thigh, causing the pair of us to freeze. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his mouth twitch, as if to apologise yet again, but no apology came. He probably figured out that it was best to ignore it. He probably figured out it was best to pretend it didn't happen, like he pretended that nothing ever happened between us back at the Academy.

Cautiously, Dimitri turned to face me. "And are you part of this army?" he asked quietly and hesitantly, as if he didn't want to know the answer.

I couldn't blame him, not really, for doubting me and thinking that I would join Tasha. It was obvious to everyone that I was frustrated and annoyed. I wanted change. I needed change. "Honestly, I thought about it. I've done nothing but think about it," I admitted, glad that the light was quickly fading and that I didn't have to see his reaction. The darkness made my confession easier. "Maybe Tasha's right. Maybe a rebellion is what we need."

"You don't mean that, Rose," Dimitri said, his voice full of confidence; confidence in me. I shook my head, sadly. The fact that Dimitri thought that I was better than this made me feel empty inside. It made me feel useless. And it made me angry that his words could still have such an effect on me. I didn't need his confidence. I didn't need him to tell me what I meant and didn't mean. I had my own mind. I could think for myself. And yet, I still felt like I needed his approval. I needed his guidance, even after everything he did to me.

"Yeah, I do mean it. I hate everything Tatiana has put us through. I hate the moroi for everything they've put us through," I clenched my fist – the good one – together, banging my head against the headrest roughly.

"If you join Tasha, then you'll lose everything," Dimitri said, though his tone was soft and gentle. It wasn't a warning. It wasn't even a fact. It was a statement that I couldn't argue with.

"So? I have nothing left to fight for. I have no one left to fight for," I murmured quietly, not really wanting him to hear my admission.

But there was nothing to drown out my voice. Dimitri turned his head sharply, the pity clear in his eyes as he watched me carefully. "You have Lissa."

I shook my head at his statement. In any other situation, it would have made me angry that everything had to revolve around her. But I was tired. I was sore. I couldn't feel anything. "No, I don't. We can pretend all we want, but the two of us aren't best friends anymore. We're just people clinging to frayed strings."

He didn't argue with me, for which I was glad for. I thought he might lecture me for abandoning Lissa, for abandoning the treasured princess, but he said nothing. He was silent for a moment, deep in thought, before a pained expression, somewhat mirroring a look of anguish, appeared on his face. "You have Adrian," he stated, his voice strained. On his neck, a vein throbbed erratically. "The last time I saw you two together you looked ... cosy."

I couldn't help but laugh. The drowsiness caused by my injuries had numbed all my senses, and I was barely keeping my eyes open. It was hard to concentrate, but as soon as Dimitri uttered the last sentence, I lost it. The thought of him thinking that me and Adrian was a couple was too much to bear. I burst into giggles, holding my stomach as jerks of agony shrieked through my body. Breathing heavily, and speaking in between my barks of laughter, I said "Adrian and I aren't a couple. He just likes to pretend we are to wind you up."

Through my delirium, it looked like Dimitri was relieved. "Why?"

"Because he doesn't like you," I replied, my short lived amusement evaporating quickly as I remembered the reason why Adrian didn't like Dimitri.

Once again, silence engulfed the car, suffocating us. Neither of us spoke until Dimitri had pulled up outside the hospital. Instead of moving, we both sat there, quietly. "You... you have me," Dimitri whispered, his voice a tender whisper, thick with emotion. I turned to face him, not realising how close our bodies were. His face was inches away from mine. His lips were inches away from mine.

And then we were kissing.


AN: Durh...durh...durhhh! Oh, the drama =D Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! You all rock my socks off!

Disclaimer: I DO NOT VA!