I don't own VA.

Vampire Academy: Blood Promise.

Dimitri Belikov and Rosemarie Hathaway.

What I Was Supposed To Say

"Why?" I asked softly. The word was carried away on the wind, but he heard.

"Because I love you," Dimitri said. His expression softened as he looked at me, "I love you," he repeated firmly. A sudden look crossed his face, like it had when he'd taken that lust charm off me, a look of realization, of waking up.

And I let him pull me up. I didn't realize that I tears on my face until he wiped them. I wrapped my arms around him.

"Rose, I am so sorry. I can't believe that I put you through all those horrible things. I am so sorry, Roza." He closed his eyes and touched his forehead to mine.

I stroked his cold cheeks, his jaw, his face, memorizing.

I thought about everything that I had faced in the past. Lissa's family dying, getting kissed by the shadows, running away from the Academy, meeting Dimitri, falling in love with him and him turning Strigoi. My life was messed up.

"Rose?" he started softly, "do it."

I froze. "Dimitri, you- but I..." I stammered.

"Roza, please."

I looked helplessly at him. A cry echoed through the bridge, with a jolt I realized that it was my own.

"There must be another way." I said, "something else could be done."

He and I both knew how wrong my words were.

"There is only one way, you know that Roza," he gently stroked my cheek.

"I can't lose you," I said desperately.

"You won't, I'll always be there," his hand touched my chest, exactly over my heart.

"It won't be the same," I shook my head, tears falling down my cheeks.

"Please," he breathed, "for me. Free me, Rose."

We were still standing at the edge. I needed to do something. I couldn't bear to lose him again.

I stared in his eyes, knowing that I needed strength for what I was going to say.

"Awaken me, then." I exposed my neck.

His eyes widened.

"You said that it would be my choice. And I am making my choice." I told him.

"No," he whispered. "You know deep down that you don't want this, Roza."

He was determined. And I... wasn't.

He gently wiped away my tears, and kissed me. And I knew that this was our last kiss. So I savoured it as much as I could.

"My Roza," he said when we broke apart.

"I love you," I murmured.

"I love you too, I always will."

He nodded and I pulled out my silver stake. My other hand remained firmly in his. There wasn't much of a space considering where we stood. He kept eye contact, that helped to control the trembling of my hand.

"Dimitri."

"Rose." he said my name on last time.

I plunged the stake into his heart.

A sob escaped my chest as he closed his eyes, a content smile on his lips. His hand squeezed mine and then went still. I didn't let him fall. Instead I wrapped my other arm around his neck and we fell together.

It was a week later that Janine Hathaway, Ibrahim Mazur and the Belikov family learned about something. Something related to Olena's only son and Janine's only daughter.

A Strigoi and a Dhampir were found dead on the banks of a river.

They were Dimitri Belikov and Rosemarie Hathaway. Both of them were in an embrace when they first got spotted by a group of Dhampir children.

Only their families and friends knew what had happened. And no one was ready to accept it.