Lost and Found
Present
Rose's Pov
There was a time where I didn't think that my life couldn't get any shittier than this, but here I am now.
Trapped.
Nowhere to go.
Tied up and left to die. Or so I thought.
Let's go back to the beginning.
Four Months Ago
I was meeting up with my friends after my training class with Dimitri.
It had been a long day and all I wanted to do was go and get food and relax over the weekend before exams.
The field experience was coming up and I was hoping to get Lissa as my moroi for the test.
Unfortunately, I was given Christian as my moroi for the next week. So starting Monday I had to go to his classes with him.
No big deal. I just have to get through the experience. Pass it and then take my final exam when the time comes and graduate.
"Rose! Hurry up!" Lissa shouted from across the courtyard, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I just smiled and ran over to her.
"How was class with Guardian Belikov?" Lissa asked.
"Same as always Liss. Now come on let's go get food. I'm starving." I laughed.
Lissa and Christian just laughed as well as we headed to grab some food.
As we headed to get dinner, the alarm started to go off. It wasn't just your typical fire drill alarm. No, this was the alarm to tell everyone that Strigoi had entered the grounds.
I ran with Lissa and Christian and took them to the church safely before I made my way out to help the guardians fight off the Strigoi. There were so many of them. I grabbed a silver stake off of one of the dead guardians and I started fighting the Strigoi one by one. Taking them down. Don't hesitate is what Dimitri taught me.
Just as I got in my sixth kill, a Strigoi grabbed me from behind and bit me. I heard my name being called before everything went black and silent.
Dimitri's Pov
The Strigoi had started attacking the students and guardians. I watched my Roza escort the princess and Christian to the church before she came back out to help fight. I may have taught her well, but she shouldn't be out here fighting. She should be in the church, safe. Instead she risked her life.
I was proud of her.
Just when things couldn't get any worse. A Strigoi came up from behind Rose and grabbed her, biting down hard, till she no longer moved.
"Rose! Roza!" I shouted trying to get to her, but it was too late.
The Strigoi took her and they all left. I couldn't believe it.
My Roza was gone. The love of my life taken from before my eyes. I quickly put my guardian mask back on and started to help clean up and take count of the fatalities.
"Guardian Belikov where is Rose?" The princess came running up to me with Christian not too far behind.
I turned to look at her, but I wouldn't dare look her in the eyes.
"Princess, Rose was taken by Strigoi. I'm sorry, but right now there is nothing we can do." I spoke somberly.
"What? No you have to go out there and look for her!" The princess shouted.
"Princess, right now we can't. When we can I will be sure to bring her back." I said looking at her with determination as I gripped her shoulders for reassurance.
The princess just nodded and walked away.
Present
Lissa's Pov
It had been four months since Rose was taken. The guardians had tried everything in their power to find Rose, but they couldn't find her. Some even said that she was a lost cause and that she was probably a Strigoi or dead by now.
I knew she wasn't dead or Strigoi. I could still feel her through the bond or at least I thought I could feel her. I only felt numb.
Today was graduation.
The few weeks that Rose had been missing it was painful and it still hurt. I was sad that she wasn't going to get to graduate and be my guardian like she wanted.
Guardian Belikov was my guardian and Christian wasn't assigned one as he is usually with me.
"I wish Rose was here. She would have loved this." Lissa sighed as she left the ceremony once it was over.
"She would have been happy to have become your guardian." Christian sighed as he held my hand tightly.
Lissa just nodded.
"Princess are you ready to head to Court?" Guardian Belikov asked.
I just nodded my head and we made our way to the jet to go to Court where I would be staying.
Rose's Pov
I had been held captive, tortured for so long, that I've lost track of time.
This time though, it was gonna be different.
I was going to escape.
Adrian had pulled me into a dream, but even he couldn't save me. Every time I tried to tell him where I was at, I was forced out. After that Adrian, stopped visiting. He no longer pulled me into a dream. I don't blame him. He thought I was dead and I knew everyone thought I was dead as well.
I had stayed unconscious long enough to regain enough strength to break out and get back to my friends.
I just had to find a way to get to Court.
"She's practically dead. Leave her there to die. If she hasn't already transitioned then she isn't going to." The Strigoi said as they unchained me and I fell into a heap on the ground, pretending to be dead.
Once the Strigoi left, I slowly got up and started making my way out of the cave. I was still really weak and so I just walked as far as I could, until my legs couldn't carry me anymore.
I took a break and when I finally was able to, I found a bus stop. I went into the restroom and cleaned up the best I could.
The bus was going to Pennsylvania.
Where the Court was.
I smiled and slowly fell asleep. Ready to finally be home.
"Miss, you need to get off, we're in Pennsylvania." The bus driver spoke, waking me up.
I just got up and left the bus. I watched the bus drive off and I started walking once more.
The sun was still out so that was a good sign.
I had been walking for what seemed like hours until I finally saw the gates to Court. I smiled, ready to see everyone.
Just as I approached the gate, a guardian stopped me.
"Stop right there. You shouldn't be here." The guardian spoke.
"My name is Rose Hathaway. I need someone to get Guardian Belikov or Princess Vasilisa." I said weakly, just about ready to pass out.
The guardian just stared at me. I glared at them and they did what I said.
"I need Guardian Belikov to the front gate. Someone here is asking for them." The guardian spoke.
I just leaned up against the post and waited.
After what seemed like a long time, I saw him. I wanted to run up to him and hug him, but I didn't have the strength.
"Roza?" Dimitri asked when he saw me.
I was about to say something when I collapsed into his arms and fell unconscious.
Dimitri's Pov
I was with the Princess when I received a call over the radio asking to go up to the front gate to speak to someone who was asking for me.
I made my way there and at first I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.
It couldn't be.
She was alive.
My Roza was alive.
"Roza?" I asked.
She looked at me like she was about to say something, but instead she collapsed into my arms and fell unconscious.
I took her straight to the clinic while I had another guardian call for the princess.
"Where is she?" I heard the princess from the hall.
I heard the nurse tell her where she was at and she just ran into the room.
"She's alive, but how?" The princess asked.
"I don't know. She collapsed and passed out before she could say anything." I spoke as I remained where I was at. I just held her hand. Waiting.
Lissa's Pov
I couldn't believe it. My sister, my best friend, was alive. I just sat in a chair and healed what I could heal without passing out.
Over the last few months, I have gotten better at self control and being able to heal others without weakening my own body.
"I wonder how she managed to escape." I sighed as I held Christian's hand who sat next to me.
"Who knows. We'll find out once she wakes up though." Christian said as he looked at me with a small smile.
I just leaned my head on Christian's shoulder and fell asleep.
After what seemed like a few hours, I heard a familiar voice.
"Wow, I know how to draw a crowd in." Rose laughed.
I opened up my eyes to see Rose sitting up and slightly smiling.
"Oh Rose! You're alright!" I exclaimed as I hugged her tightly.
"Can't...breatheā¦" Rose tried her best to say.
I just let her go and sat back down.
"Sorry. I'm just so excited to finally see you again. We all thought you were dead. We tried everything." I spoke with sadness in my eyes.
"I know." Rose said.
"What happened?" Guardian Belikov asked.
Rose's Pov
I had woken up and Lissa of course pulled me in a tight hug. Dimitri had been holding my hand and when I woke up he just kissed me.
"What happened?" Dimitri asked.
"I was fed on, tortured and then they left me to die. They tried to turn me, but I think because of the bond with Lissa, I wasn't able to transition. They unchained me and once they left, I started my way here. I took a bus and well that's when I fell into your arms." I said as I looked at Dimitri.
"Adrian tried to contact you several times." Lissa asked.
"I know. I tried to tell him where I was at, but every time I tried, I was pulled out. I was always waking up to the strigoi forcing me to wake up." I explained. "How long was I gone?" I asked.
"You've been gone for four months." Dimitri said.
I just sighed.
"So I missed graduation and now I may not be a guardian." I just sighed again as I leaned my head back onto the pillow.
Lissa just looked at Dimitri and then at Rose.
"Actually the day of graduation, they announced that they made you an honorary guardian. After what you did out there, helping the guardians fight off the strigoi, Kirova was really amazed with your bravery and so she had discussed with the others including Guardian Belikov and they all voted and so you did graduate as a guardian even if you weren't there." Christian explained.
"So, I'm a guardian?" I asked, shocked that Kirova would even consider letting me graduate after everything that happened in the past.
"Yeah you are. You just need to get your mark and then once you are fully recovered then you'll be able to start guarding me. Dimitri is gonna be Christian's guardian." Lissa explained.
I just smiled and started to cry a little bit. I hadn't failed. I was finally free from having to go to school. Best of all, I was finally able to be with Dimitri. The love of my life.
"What are you thinking?" Dimitri asked.
I just looked at Dimitri and smiled.
"I was just thinking about how I was finally free from school and how I can finally be with you." Rose sighed.
Dimitri just smiled before he leaned in and kissed me.
The doctor soon came in and I was released. The four of us had gone to Lissa's house and mine and Dimitri's room was just down the hall from Lissa and Christian's.
Dimitri and I just lay in the bed. I just snuggled up to my comrade and sighed, taking in his scent.
"I missed the smell of your aftershave." I laughed.
Dimitri just laughed and kissed me on the top of my head.
"It's good to be back." I sighed before I fell asleep in Dimitri's arms.
