Dimitri was able to save Rose from the Spirit's darkness that day in the cabin, but he wasn't able to save her from everything. Now that she's been kicked out of the Academy and banished from Moroi society, Rose must learn how to live her own life and make her own way. But how can a guardian and an outcast stay together when their worlds want to tear them apart?Set after the cabin without the Strigoi attack.

I knew this was coming.

From the moment I pulled Rose off of Jesse and heard her murderous threats, I knew it was all over. It didn't matter if she was protecting Lissa from the vicious torture of those pompous, self-obsessed Royals. She had gone too far. She didn't just attack them, she had tried to slaughter them. The Spirit darkness had finally taken over her, and she had been ready to play judge, jury, and executioner for those that had hurt her friend. She was ready to kill them. And if the guardians hadn't gotten there in time, she might have.

This wasn't something I could save her from, no matter how much I wanted to. And now, sitting across from Alberta in her office, I knew it was for real.

Rose had finally been expelled from St. Vladimir's Academy.

"I'm so sorry, Rose." It was clear that handing down this verdict pained Alberta quite a bit. She wiped a tear from her eye, betraying more emotion than I had ever seen from her, and choked a bit on her next words. "I did absolutely everything I could do. Headmistress Kirova is adamant."

Rose sat silently, frozen in her chair and staring blankly at the wall in a daze. The moment Alberta had broken the news, Rose had completely shut down. No fighting, no tears, nothing. Just nothing.

I wasn't sure if she could process the shocking information in such a concerning state, so I tried to do it for us both.

"They won't even let her graduate? It's only a few months away. We can take her out of combat classes, but at least let her finish her diploma." I placed a hand on the back of Rose's chair, letting my thumb rub against her back a little. She didn't react at all.

Alberta deflated a bit. "Unfortunately, no. Kirova and the school board believe she's a danger to the other students."

"That's insane!" I roared, wincing when I felt Rose jump below me. I lowered my voice, but the malice in my tone was impossible to hide. "Rose is sick. She shouldn't be punished for that. She needs help, not thrown out onto the street. What about her therapy? Maybe we could find some sort of medication? There has to be a better solution than outright expulsion."

"I agree with you, Dimitri. Wholeheartedly. I think she should stay here and get whatever help she needs. But she attacked two students, two Moroi students including one of royal blood. And she publicly threatened one of their lives. That can't be written off and overlooked." Alberta gave a sharp and humorless laugh. "We trained her to be a lethal weapon, and now they're terrified of her."

I gritted my teeth at the twist of fate, but Rose started laughing at the remark. She sounded oddly amused but incredibly unbalanced. Manic, even. My opinion might have been colored by the topic we were discussing, but that crazed noise from Rose made me shudder.

Alberta and I stared at Rose in concern until her laugh began to morph into gentle sobs. It was more appropriate for the situation but still seemed so unlike the bold, willful woman I loved. She sounded so dejected. I hated it.

"So, what's next?" She asked, some of her darkness slipping in. "Are they just going to push me out of the front gate? Will they at least be kind enough to give me a stake before I go? It's a long walk to civilization, and I'm not quite sure I'm 'lethal' enough to take on everything between St. Vlad's and wherever the hell I'm supposed to go next."

Alberta reached for Rose but pulled back when she flinched. "Rose. You know that's not going to happen. I'll find a way to help you. I promise. I think your mother is in the states. Maybe she can take some time to stay with you and -"

"And what?" She bit out. "Babysit me until she needs to work again? In the career she was trained for? The one I've trained for my whole life? What am I supposed to do now? If I can't become a guardian, I don't have many options. I haven't even graduated high school. Who will ever want a failure like me?"

"You have more than enough schooling to take the GED and pass. That's good enough," Alberta insisted, trying to stop Rose's downward spiral. Already, her rapid, short, and shallow breaths were only a hair away from hyperventilation. Still, Alberta pressed on. "You'll be able to find a job wherever you need to. Your mother and I will both help with the other short-term issues. Money, housing, whatever you need, we'll figure it out, okay?"

"Stop." I knew Alberta was sincere in her offer, but it was plain to see just how overwhelmed Rose was at the moment. We needed to pause and take things one step at a time. I squeezed Rose's shoulder gently as I continued, "How long do we have until Rose needs to leave."

Alberta looked between the two of us, finally deferring to me since Rose was now staring at the ground with her fingers rubbing at her temples. "They're giving her the weekend to get her affairs in order here. They want her off of the campus before classes start on Monday."

Three days. It wasn't long, but it'd be enough. "Fine. We'll come back in the morning to discuss things further. I think Rose needs some rest." I was already moving, taking Rose's hand and gently pulling her up from the chair before Alberta could protest.

Accepting my judgment on the matter, Alberta nodded. She traced a finger down Rose's arm in maternal sympathy, but the only response Rose offered back was a small, pained whimper.

I didn't bother to hide my affection, nor the protectiveness that came with that affection, as I placed my hand on Rose's back and pulled her closer to me while I led her out of the office. Perhaps to others, it would appear like a necessary precaution considering her fragile mental state. No more than a friend helping a friend. That excuse seemed especially valid when I had to catch her a moment later before she stumbled towards the door.

Appearances and reality didn't matter to me. Let them think whatever they wanted to. I had more important things to worry about.

Alberta stopped us before my hand touched the doorknob.

"Oh, one more thing Dimitri. You should know that effective immediately, Rose is no longer considered a student here. She's been moved into guest housing for the time being. Room 205." She pulled a small key with a numbered tag from her desk and swiftly closed the gap between us. She placed the key in my hand with a gentle, compassionate smile and concerned yet insinuating eyes. "Just thought that might be important to you."

I nodded. It felt like an unspoken blessing. Part of me wanted to be sure I hadn't misunderstood Alberta's kindness, but Rose's head tipped back to rest against my shoulder before I could say anything. She was exhausted, and I'd be carrying her unconscious form across the courtyard if we didn't find her a bed soon. That was all I needed to push us forward toward her new accommodations.

We were silent the entire trip over. So much so that I had to occasionally check to make sure Rose was still awake, despite the fact that she was still walking beside me. Even though her room was only on the second floor, we took the elevator rather than the stairs. Had she been able to, I'm sure she would have objected. Rose wasn't one to allow even a hint of weakness, even if it was only her own personal perceptions of weakness. But I think we both knew that even one flight of stairs was too much in her current state.

When I finally let go of Rose long enough to grab the key in my pocket, she leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. I paused, the key halfway into the lock, and listened to the struggling sound. When the lock finally clicked open, a mere pebble of her strength seemed to return.

I opened the door wider, letting her pass by me through the doorway. She turned two steps in, facing me though eyes came up no further than my knees.

"Thank you, Dimitri. Really. For everything." She sighed, and I heard the heavy weight of the world fall on her shoulders. "Goodnight, I guess."

I stepped forward, following her through the doorway, and sending her back a foot or so in surprise. She looked up, confusion written among every other unfair emotion on her face. She didn't deserve any of this pain.

"What are you doing?" She asked as I shut the door behind me.

"I'm not leaving you, Rose."

Author's Note

I'm back.