A/N: Thank you so much everyone for the love on the first chapter. I am really glad you are enjoying. Your comments about my writing and that you like the idea of the story makes me smile. At least I know I am on the right path. :)
I hope you enjoy this next chapter.
Chapter 2 – The Awakening
I sat there fuming, my arms across my chest as I waited to be checked out. I wasn't the more seriously injured as others, that needed to be tended to first, just mostly exhausted with minor cuts and bruises. Still, all participating members of the rescue operation had to be checked out.
"Can someone just tell me how Dimitri is doing?"
"Guardian Belikov," corrected the guardian who was tasked to watch me, so I didn't try and sneak out again, in a disapproving tone at me not using formalities, "is still being tended too."
My look was hopeful. "He's alive. At least there is that," I whispered softly.
The curtain to my makeshift room pulled back, a nurse who looked as about as exhausted and tired as I felt came walking through. Things must be busy, because there were still blood spots on her forehead as she walked into greet me.
I recognized her as a nurse named Cathy—I had been taken to the infirmary way too many times in my time here at St. Vladimir's. Unlike her normal jovial demeanor, it was replaced with a frown, wrinkles prominent at the corner of her eyes. As if she had seen so much death that you would generally see over a lifetime in one night.
"Tell me where your injuries are?" she asked all pleasantries gone.
"I don't have any."
She looked displeased at my response, letting out a long exasperating sigh. "Ms. Hathaway, we are very busy. I would appreciate if you would cooperate with me."
"I am," I said defensively. "I don't have any serious injuries."
She raised a brow, but I could tell she didn't believe me. She put her chart to the side. "Please disrobe." She turned to the guardian that was standing at the end of my bed. "Please wait on the other side."
The guardian didn't even balk as he did as she instructed. Once he was gone; I grimaced, swinging my legs over the side of the cot, to a wobbly stand as I started to remove my jacket, tank, and finally my pants leaving me there in my sports bra and underwear.
Cathy's cold fingers did a slow perusal over the front of my body, taking her time to inspect and clean out each cut. As I suspected, none of them were deep enough to require any stitches. As I looked down, I noticed a deep bluish-purple bruise on my shoulder extending to my chest, where I had been slammed against the cave, and then bore most of Dimitri's weight in the aid back to the academy.
My knees took the brunt of the scratches, having fallen down multiple times along the way back. This was all on top of just getting through the drastic attack from the school. When Cathy was satisfied with her assessment from the front, she had me turn to the back and complete the same methodical review.
"All done!" she declared, scooting back as I heard the sound of her gloves being removed. "You can get dressed."
She didn't need to tell me twice. I instantly grabbed my things, putting my clothes back on in a haste. Cathy picked up her clipboard again, jotting down some notes.
"Am I free to go?" I asked.
She didn't look up from her clipboard with her next words. "Yes, you are free to go. No physical activity for the next day or two, and make sure you thoroughly clean your cuts when you wash."
"Thank you." I just finished putting my jacket back on, Cathy standing from her stool as she was about to leave. "Wait!" She hesitated for just a second as she half turned back to face me. "Please…can you tell me where Dimitri is?"
She gave me a long appraising look. I knew it could go either way. They were usually very serious about not sharing any information with anyone that wasn't school officials or family. And to everyone here, I wasn't either of those things to them, even though to Dimitri and I, we were to each other.
"Were you the one that helped aid in his rescue?" She asked, turning to me fully now. I nodded. She looked at me for another long minute, practically making me almost want to squirm under her gaze. "Mr. Belikov has always been helpful to us in the infirmary when he had been off shift."
Of course, he was. Because that was my Comrade. Even during our practices, if I had injured myself—like I had done the time I started taking hits without the proper gloves—it had been him to help patch up my knuckles. He had been with me every time I had been taken here too. Which is why I so desperately needed to be with him right now.
Whether Cathy took pity on me because of whatever look must've crossed my face, or because I had been directly a part of making sure that he had made it back safely, she relented with a nod.
"He's in the intensive unit. When you come out of here, it's down the hall and to the left. Just pass the doors. There are a few rooms, and his is at the end of the hall."
"Thank you," I said softly.
She nodded, and then left the room. I wasted no time, making a beeline directly from the room. This time, I wasn't stopped by my babysitter guardian since I had been cleared by Cathy. For all I knew, he had overheard our conversation and since Cathy had told me herself, he had to figure that was good enough as permission to head to that wing.
As I reached the end of the hall towards the infirmary that was the intensive unit, I didn't expect my steps to falter. Dimitri Belikov was a god. Outside of the one good bruise I had been able to give him during my field practice exam, he was practically untouchable.
I closed my eyes, willing the sudden flashes away. Recalling how pale he had looked when I had come across him in the cave. The blood running down his forehead and cheek on his left side, the blood draining from his neck on his right side. My hand absentmindedly came up to my jacket, trying not to wince at the reminder when I had taken it off and put it back on for Cathy.
It was mostly all Dimitri's blood that had gotten on me as Janine and I had practically dragged him back to the academy. His feet could barely aid in the assist, but even his slight shuffle had helped us get back that much faster. I was sure that if he hadn't still put the effort in, we might not all be here right now.
That was why he was revered as a god.
I sucked in a deep breath, exhaling as I pushed one foot in front of the other and turned into the room. I came to a sudden stop. "Lissa?"
She had just pulled his blanket up to his chest as she turned to me. Like Cathy, she had blood near the end of her top, and she looked tired and exhausted. A pang of worry filled my chest, wondering if she was using too much of her spirit to try and aid in the recovery.
She turned, offering a weary smile. "Hi, Rose."
My feet found their movement again, as I stepped all the way in and stopped next to my best friend and the man, I loved more than anything who was currently unconscious laying in front of us. "How is he?" I asked hesitantly.
She looked down at him, her expression turning from fatigue to optimistic. "He's stable," she said, her voice coming out weakly.
Before I could think about what I was doing, my hand shot out to hers, clasping her hand in mine. She squeezed my hand in return. I wasn't sure in that moment, who was supporting who.
My eyes traveled back to Dimitri's face. He had an IV in his arm, one large bandage on his neck, and another medium size band aid on his forehead.
"The wound on his neck was pretty serious," Lissa spoke up, her tone soft, but matching what I was used too from the nurses and doctors here. I wonder if she had to have some of these conversations in the chaos of everything going on. Her eyes turned from Dimitri, looking directly at me just over her shoulder. "I was able to close majority of the wound on his neck, but he lost a lot of blood, Rose."
I swallowed; almost brining my hand back up to my shoulder where his blood seeped into my clothes. I could sense Lissa's eyes on me as she looked at the spot, her lips turning downwards into a frown. My eyes flickered over to the item to the right of him. He was getting a blood transfusion. He didn't look as deathly pale as before, but he wasn't at the color that I was used too. He was still missing his warmth.
Lissa's squeeze of my hand told me she had been watching me, while I had been watching him. "The doctors are hopeful, Rose." She paused. Another squeeze. "I'm hopeful. Dimitri is strong. He will be ok."
I nodded, but until his eyes opened, and I knew he was going to be ok…I didn't want to let my hopes get up. "Thank you," I said softly. She couldn't understand how much this meant to me right now.
"Of course," she replied. "I would do anything I can to help."
I could see the regret on her face when she mentioned she had to leave. I know she wanted to stay with me but knowing she had done whatever she could for Dimitri and that I was ok, she was better off helping the more injured with her abilities. I reminded her not to go overboard with her spirit powers so that it didn't impact her. I could already feel she was using a lot as it was. If she used too much, I would end up taking that darkness into me.
Once Lissa left the room, I pulled the chair over so that I was closer to Dimitri's bed. I took hold of his hand that was at his side, clasping it in my own as I tried to squeeze some of my warmth and life in him. "Coke back to me, Comrade," I whispered, lowering my head so I could place a gentle kiss to the back of his hand.
I don't know why a part of me hoped it would somehow awaken him. Just like they did in all those fairytales I watched as a kid. His hand didn't flex, his eyes remained close. What a bunch of lies.
I kept his hand firmly in mine, as my eyes raked over every inch of his body. At least what I could see anyway. He had just as many if not more cuts and bruises on his arms. His neck was bruised, a purple hue poking out from under the massive bandage on his neck.
I sighed. He was the toughest and most skilled of all of us. The few times I did get a quick glance at him in the throes of battle, I had seen he was constantly double teamed. They knew—just like they always did—that he was the biggest threat. They needed to take him out of the equation if they even wanted to be somewhat successful.
They almost had.
Even when they had taken him back within the caves and bitten him; knowing that he was most likely going to die, he still never gave up. He would willingly give every last ounce of effort he had to help us just get a little bit further to safety. That was who Dimitri was. He was a god to everyone else, but he was my own personal hero.
I had to keep reminding myself that he was safe. He was back here in the safety of the academy, where the wards had been checked and double checked. There was double the guardians patrolling the place as we speak. And my girl, Lissa, was committed to making sure that he was ok.
I could see there was questions in her eyes earlier before when I had come in to check on him. Questions about Dimitri and me. I knew she was starting to suspect—just like some others—that our closeness was more than just possible mentor to student. I would have to have that conversation later, but not now.
As my eyes traveled back up to his face, I couldn't help but block the flood of emotions that washed over me. The feeling of our bodies coming together when we had made love in the cabin.
"We can't…" he told me, holding me close.
"I know," I agreed.
Even though we shouldn't have, I was so glad we did. The moment his mouth was on mine, all of our clothes discarded, and all of that tension, wanting, and love I felt for him had come together, I really felt like we had moved the entire damn mountain.
I could see his eyelids twitching, making me worried that maybe he was in a lot of pain in his comatose state. Lissa had said he was basically in an induced comma due to the amount of blood loss. They had guessed the only reason he was even still alive when they had brought him to the infirmary was because of a combination of his strength, fortitude, and our dhampir healing abilities.
My lips formed a sad and worn-out smile, as a second memory just before we had gone through the rescue mission hit me.
Dimitri and I had been walking the rounds. I had told him my guess about how the attack was able to break through our wards. Jesse and his band of misfits being the reason why I believed it had occurred. Dimitri had been rather impressed with my theory. It was the first solid lead we had in his opinion.
The cold had made me shudder—just the temperature—as he had suggested that we head back to the academy.
As we started walking back, I could sense one of his moral and mentor conversations was coming. I braced myself. We had been stuck in a never-ending loop of push-pull between us. We both clearly wanted each other, but his position at the academy and my age had him always pulling back to want to do the right thing.
I had been waiting for him to come out and admit that what we had did at the cabin was a mistake. I knew it was going to come, because it always did. Anytime he let his guard down—which was happening more and more these days—and kiss me, or he would let his fingers linger on my face or hair…I could tell it was getting harder and harder for him to deny his true feelings for me.
So, I whirled on him before he could say the words of regret and shatter my heart to ruins.
What I hadn't expected, was for his arm to wrap around my waist, pull me to the nearest tree, just out of sight of any prying eyes as he kissed me Fiercely and passionately. All of my fears and concerns melted away in that kiss. Just for a moment, there was no regrets between us. There was no worry about missing students and a recovery mission that was being planned in just a few short hours.
When we had finally broke apart, he refused to let me be anything other than close to him. "I don't think what we did was a mistake," he said softly. "I'm glad we did it. If I could go back in time, I would do it again."
There was a freighting ache in my chest. So powerful and strong that it scared me how much of myself belonged to the man holding me in his arms. "What made you change your mind?"
"Because your hard to resist," he said, clearly amused that after what happened back at the cabin that I would be surprised. "And because I am tired of fighting what I know is so right between us."
"Me too," I agreed softly.
"I was so stupid, Rose. So stupid to think that any Moroi life could ever be above yours. Once I made that decision, there was no reason for me to hold back any longer." He hesitated, letting his words sink in from his massive confession as he pushed my hair back from my face. "I don't mean to speak for you."
Oh, my…Comrade. He still didn't get it. "I did it because I love you," I said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the whole world.
He let out a laugh. "I guess I could have just said that to begin with, couldn't I?"
I grinned, bringing my arms up and around his neck to pull us closer. "Yes. But I loved every word you said."
His hand reached down to mine as our fingers interlocked. "I love you, Roza. I don't want us to pretend anymore. I don't want any more lies between us."
"Me too," I agreed again.
Of course, we had to agree to still keep it secret until I officially graduated, which would be soon, but it was out in the open for us now. There was no turning back, and neither of us wanted it too.
We still had things to work out. Like the very real fact that Dimitri and I could both be assigned to Lissa. With our love for each other, it did make things difficult if we were ever in danger. As much as I loved Lissa, I loved Dimitri. I could understand what he meant now about how if we let ourselves love, it could very well jeopardize the safety of our Moroi that was charged to us.
They still came first.
Dimitri was highly regarded and in demand. Even if he asked to be reassigned for protection detail, we were both so sure he would get someone high up at court. I had teased him once, that now that Lissa and Christian were dating, it would almost be ideal if one of us got assigned to him. Although when they were together, it could still present the same kind of problems.
I spent the remainder of my time there, talking in hushed whispers to Dimitri and telling him all about my thoughts since we had met. I didn't know if he really could hear me, but it was comforting to believe that he might.
I took a long gulp of air, as I looked back to his sleeping form. "I need to you to come back to me, Dimitri. You're the strongest person I know. I can't do all of this without you, so please…keep your promise. Your promise that you would always be there for me."
If he could hear me, I wanted him to remember what it was he would be fighting to come back too. For now, I would just have to be content with holding his hand and hoping that it would be enough to aid in his recovery.
I had been sitting next to Dimitri's for the last few hours. I was exhausted, and the amount of exertion I had put my body through was catching up with me, but yet, I still couldn't sleep.
One of the nurses had taken pity on me when she had come back to check rounds, passing a blanket to me as I sat in the chair next to his bedside. I was aware of her looks, in that I was still streaked with dirt and blood, my hair a gigantic ball of frizzy mess. I couldn't bring myself to get up yet and go. I didn't want to leave his side.
Each time a nurse walked in, I was sure they were going to tell me to leave, but each time they came in and looked in my direction without saying anything, I let out a breath of relief.
The need to want to crawl into Dimitri's bed and curl up next to him was so strong, but I held back. If I did that, then everyone would definitely know my reaction to want to go back and save him was due to more than just a mentor and student relationship. I didn't let go of his hand, no matter if my hand started to go numb from keeping it extended in the same position for so long.
A blur out of my peripheral vision caught my eye. My mother was standing in the doorway. She looked at me, then at Dimitri, and back at me. I didn't let go of Dimitri's hand, but I tucked it closer to his side hoping to keep it out of her view.
It had been hours since we had gotten back. I had wondered if I was going to see her tonight. I figured between the needing to sort out who was rescued, who was killed or left behind, and the endless number of reports all the adults were going to have to write, that I might be able to avoid this conversation for at least another day or two.
I was wrong.
I cleared my throat. "How many did we lose?"
I still couldn't get some of the flashes of what I had seen in the caves from my mind. Alan's neck being snapped like a twig. The screams of those just before it had gone silent. The moment the blond Strigoi's fangs went into Dimitri's neck.
"Six," she answered.
I could hear the sadness in her voice. Six losses in addition to the ones we might not have been able to save. As tough and uncaring as I knew my mother could be sometimes, we were all connected by the same thing. Hating the news and loss of any of our own.
When I looked up at her, she still remained in the doorway, her arms across her chest. Her entire demeanor screamed that she was trying to distance herself. No doubt preparing for the lecture I was sure to receive.
Her eyes flittered back to Dimitri, and I followed them there to his face. "What's going on, Rose?"
I knew what she was asking, but that didn't mean I was going to freely just answer her questions. It wasn't like she had been around to ask me things about my life or how was I doing before today. What right did she suddenly have to come in here and want to take notice of my life now?
"They say he's in a coma. He lost a lot of blood," I explained.
She let out an exasperated sigh. "I know Guardian Belikov's prognosis. That is not what I am asking."
"Then you should be clearer." I knew I sounded bratty. Even though she had practically abandoned me to the academy to raise me, she did risk her life to go back and help me save Dimitri's life. If it hadn't been for her, he probably would have died. Me right along with him.
"What you did back there…risking your life, the life of your peers, and mine…it was stupid. Stupid and childish."
My eyes snapped up to her, my brows drawing together. "How could you say that?" I shot her a look of incomprehension. "We saved him. Everyone wanted to leave him for dead, but we saved him." I could feel the anger bubbling up in my chest. The anger and the fear that had been gripping hold of my heart that I might still lose him after everything we had done to attempt to save him. "That's what you do for people you care about."
She pressed her lips together, obviously not happy with my response. "You could have hurt people. You don't get to justify the worth of one person to risk others."
I stood from the chair, the blanket dropping from my lap to the floor at my feet. I hated that I had to release Dimitri's hand, but my mother was pushing all my buttons right now. "Neither do you," I retorted.
Janine took a step forward. "I will ask again. What is going on here?"
"Nothing that concerns you," I said my response coming out grated.
"I'm your mother. Everything you do concerns me."
I scoffed. "That's rich. You haven't bothered to ask me anything about my life in the last eighteen years. Now, suddenly you care? Now you want to be my mother?"
She flinched. "Of course, I care." As I looked into her eyes, I knew that was true. I didn't hate her. I wasn't mad that she wanted to continue to be a guardian. I would resent anyone that would want me to choose…but would it have killed her to at least call or check in once in a while. To want to have a conversation with me for a few minutes. "I don't expect you to understand yet. You are an adult now," she said, throwing my earlier words back in my face. "You are soon to graduate, so you will understand how important the choices you make are as an official guardian."
I glanced up at her, my curiosity eating at me. "Why did you do it? Why did you go back to help me?"
It was the first time I had seen a little of the mask slip from Janine Hathaway, as her gaze softened. "Because you're my daughter. And I love you. It's what you do for the people you love."
I nodded. My eyes glanced back down at Dimitri. "Your right. It is."
Her eyes squinted at me and then back at Dimitri, and I knew just from those four simple words she had put all the pieces together. She knew now why I had done what I had done. I suspected she had already known before stepping into his hospital room to have this conversation with me. It wasn't because he was just my mentor, and I was his student.
She gave a long despairing sigh. "Rose…"
"Not now, mother," I interjected. All the fight and energy were draining out of me. "I'm drained. And I smell. Yell at me in the morning."
"Rose, this is serious." She insisted, not wanting to let the subject drop.
I picked up the blanket that was pooled at my feet and deposited it back on the chair behind me. "And it will still be there in the morning."
My mother had been about to say something, when she noticed my glance above her shoulder at the door. Lissa was standing there, her eyes glancing back and forth between my mother and myself, then Dimitri. I didn't know how long she had been standing there, but something told me it had been enough to get the idea of our entire fight.
"Tomorrow then," she said reluctantly, before turning and walking from the room.
Lissa waited a moment, until we both heard the footsteps retreating down the hall, before she came in, her eyes glancing back at Dimitri and then me. "Sorry to interrupt, I just came back to check on him."
I waved off her concern. "Your timing was perfect. I didn't have the energy to deal with my mother right now."
She nodded, but I could see the questions in her eyes. "Is what you said true?"
She had been standing there long enough. "Which part?"
She swallowed, and when her eyes glanced back at Dimitri, I knew exactly which part she was asking about. "That you're going back for Dimitri…it was…because…"
"I love him," I finished for her, when she couldn't seem to get the words out.
Lissa was silent for a moment, as she looked at me. I noticed the million thoughts swirling in her head. She only had to take one look at my face, past the carefully placed wall I had built there, and then she finally put all the puzzle pieces together.
"All this time…" A mixture of anger and hurt twisted on her face.
I actually winced. Lissa was my best friend, but yet, I couldn't bring myself to even talk to her about my feelings for Dimitri. I knew I could trust her with this secret, but every time we had come together to talk about things, her and Christian, I just couldn't bring myself to talk about us.
I would be lying to myself if I tried to say that the sole reason was because no one could find out that it wasn't just a mentor-student relationship, but I think the part of me…deep down, wanted at least one thing to myself. With the bond and everything else between us…it was nice just to have one thing to myself.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
We were better friends then me giving her any answer that would be a lie. It was why I looked at my shoe when I did finally answer her. "I don't know."
Whether she believed the answer or not, or whether she wanted to push for something better, I sighed in relief when she nodded mutely.
I watched as she went over to Dimitri's side, pulling back the bandage to get a look. I wasn't squeamish when it came to things like blood and wounds, but somehow, I couldn't bring myself to look at Dimitri while she checked it out. The real fear that we might not be able to fix Dimitri, that he might not stay with us was still too real. To raw.
"Everything looks good," she commented, only a fraction of her normal self-returning. She straightened, took one look at the fact that I was still in my clothes from the rescue mission and grimaced. "You should go and change."
"I'll be okay," I replied numbly.
She crossed the room, standing before me, taking my hand in hers. I knew she still carried hurt there that I didn't tell her, but even with that…we were best friends. And right now, she was being that for me.
"Go, Rose. Shower and get a change of clothes. Something to eat too," she ordered in a tone that was non-negotiable. It was very princess like, and almost made me smile. "I promise to stay with him, until you get back."
I looked up into her eyes, trying to tell her how appreciative and thankful I felt. I was too emotionally drained and raw in that moment, her hand squeezing mine again. She pulled me in for a brief hug, before she released me, and walked over to the chair, to pick up the blanket and take my vacant seat.
"I'll be back soon," I assured.
"Take your time." I turned back, Lissa meeting my gaze with a knowing smile. "Dimitri's in good hands."
I nodded mutely as I left the room.
It was still daylight when I had left the infirmary. Even in my exhausted state—practically walking around like a zombie—my legs feeling like nothing but complete rubber, I still moved with purpose in that I wanted to get back to Dimitri as soon as I possibly could.
I attempted to shut off my emotions, it threatening to become overwhelming between almost losing Dimitri, my mother understanding the real reason I had gone back to save him, and now Lissa being hurt that I kept my true feelings about Dimitri to myself. I hated that I hurt her, but I hoped in time she would understand.
I was aware of the many stares in my direction. No doubt wondering if zombies were real taking in my haggard appearance. Luckily, it was enough that no one bothered to stop or ask me any questions.
That didn't stop the whispers and things I heard around me.
"They said she went back," whispered some Moroi whose face I recognized, from one of my classes, but I didn't know the name.
"It was almost a suicide mission. Look at her," said another.
I struggled to ignore their words, letting them fade away, until I passed another group, and hearing Dimitri's name come from their lips.
"That's why they call him a god. One of the rescued, said he took on four Strigoi all on his own. Sick!" They boasted.
"Yeah, but they got him good. Word is that he might not make it," said a novice that I did know. They were two years younger than me.
I scowled.
"The fact that he is still even alive, is god status."
I turned away at that point. It meant taking the long way around, but I didn't want to hear anymore. I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts.
I passed the guardian lounge and housing, a pang of longing there, knowing that Dimitri's room was in the building. It really was like those sappy sad songs that everyone talked about. No matter where I looked or where I turned, something reminded me of Dimitri. And the fact that he still hadn't woken up yet.
Voices just outside, made my steps slow. Not just any voices, but two voices I knew all too well. Alberta and my mother. They were talking in hushed tones just outside of the guardian lounge, my mother's voice starting to rise. I stopped, my back flattening against the building as I listened in to what they were discussing.
"I want to know what the hell is going on, Alberta," she demanded.
"Janine, I assure you…"
"Did you know?" My mother interjected, not letting her finish the statement.
I peeked around the building getting a better look at their faces. Alberta's hands were at her side, but she didn't let my mother intimidate her. Being friends with Dimitri, meant that you had to have a backbone yourself.
When Alberta didn't say anything, my mother's expression darkened. She crossed her arms over her chest. I didn't recognize her voice the next time she spoke. It was low, and dangerously on the edge of snapping.
"How could my daughter who barely just turned eighteen be in love with her mentor? Better yet, how as the captain could you stand by and allow it!"
Alberta stood her ground. "Rose has done exceptionally well under Guardian Belikov. He was the only one to get through to her when none of us could."
"And that makes whatever they were doing, ok? She is underage. He is her teacher."
Alberta's gaze looked around at my mother's raised voice. I clenched my teeth hearing the anger and venom coming from her. She sounded and looked like she was ready to take on a whole other batch of Strigoi in that moment.
"I was aware of their close relationship. I assure you, that if I thought anything serious or illegal was going on, I would have stopped it."
Alberta's retort was enough to only back my mother down a little. I was sure that her friendship with Dimitri and the respect she had for him, gave him a lot more leeway than she would have probably normally given anyone else. She did know that we were close. I knew that she suspected that our feelings did extend beyond what was acceptable for a mentor and their student. I respected her for having Dimitri's back and not getting in our way.
"I will be reporting this," my mother hissed.
Alberta's hand shot out. "Now, wait a minute," she said, her defenses back up. "I know you are upset. But I am asking that you wait and don't do anything rash."
"She's, my daughter!"
Alberta let out a fatigued sigh. "Yes, she is. And I am telling you, Janine, don't do what you want to do. Since Rose has gotten back to the academy, she has excelled. She has trusted Guardian Belikov which has been instrumental in more ways than one." She paused, willing my mother to look at her. "A lot of the faculty—myself included—had written Rose off because of her history, but not Dimitri. He believed in her. He had faith in her. It is because of him, that your daughter is as fierce and resourceful as she proved herself today."
Alberta's words had shocked me. I didn't know that she actually felt all of that about me. I had just thought that she tolerated me because of Dimitri. Maybe that had been the beginning of it, but that wasn't the case anymore. If I didn't know any better, she actually sounded like she respected me. Next to Dimitri, that was the best I could get.
My mother pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. "Listen, I know that you have a friendship with Dimitri. I know all about his reputation and the respect that everyone has for him. This…I…just can't…"
Alberta placed a hand on my mother's shoulder, stopping her next words from coming out. "Dimitri is the most noble and loyal person I know. If he did something illegal, I would back you one hundred percent, Janine. Dimitri would too. You know he would." My mother closed her eyes, letting out a long sigh. "Please…I am just asking that before you do something you cannot take back, that you give Rose and Dimitri the opportunity to explain themselves."
"Fine," she relented.
"Thank you."
I moved away from the building, before either of them might see me, or worse know that I had possibly heard the whole thing. My earlier anger and resentment for my mother was boiling back to the surface. She had no right to make any threats against Dimitri.
She might be my mother, but if she did anything to hurt Dimitri, or try and somehow separate us, I would never forgive her. She thought things were heated now with the tension of the last eighteen years; she would have another thing coming.
I pushed myself forward, even though the Rose thing that I wanted to do was march over there and give my mother a piece of my mind. That would come soon enough. Alberta bought us some time now, getting my mother to agree to wait until she spoke to both Dimitri and me about our relationship.
When Dimitri woke, because he would, I would give him a heads up, and we would work out our story. Dimitri wasn't one to lie, that I knew about him, but there was telling a lie and then just only telling what they needed to know in order to not have everything blow up in our faces.
I made it back to my dorm, my body on auto pilot at this point, as I pulled out a fresh pair of leggings and top and made my way to the showers. Thirty minutes later, I was clean and in new clothes feeling a tad bit better.
I was already on my way back, when Eddie called out to me catching up to me.
"I thought you would be sleeping," he said.
"I could say the same about you," I retorted.
Eddie nodded, his lips pressing together as we walked side by side. His hand came up to rub at the back of his neck. "I wanted to thank you. I heard what you did to make sure that the decision to go back for us, was even a fighting chance."
"Of course," I replied simply. "It was the right thing to do."
"Yeah…" his words trailed off.
I could sense there was more on his mind. A part of me knew that he too was carrying around his own demons having been kidnapped and used as some sort of a snack until we were able to go in and rescue him. I could see that for as brave as Eddie was trying to be, his somber expression had given him away. I felt horrible in that minute, that as one of my closest friends I hadn't asked him how he was.
"You, okay?"
He shrugged nonchalantly. "I'll be fine."
It wasn't the answer either of us were looking for. "It's me, Eddie. You can talk to me. I was there. I saw what they did to you guys."
He grimaced, as he rubbed the back of his neck again. He was looking everywhere but my eyes. I slowed my steps, even though every pull in me wanted to get back to Dimitri as soon as possible. Eddie needed me too.
"I…I can't seem to get the images out of my head." He paused, another wince. "I heard the screams, Rose. To know people were hurting, Moroi, that I was equipped to protect, and I couldn't. I failed them."
I stopped; my hand coming to his arm to pull him to a stop. "You didn't fail them," I said sternly. Eddie was one of the best in my book. He took being a guardian seriously. Most novices—myself included—tried to minimize the field experiment, but not him. He treated it as the real-life scenario it was meant to be. "You just being there, you kept them together. You gave them faith. I heard how you jumped right into action the moment the first rescue group came in."
"I was still weak," he replied, not believing a word I was saying to him.
I moved my hand to his shoulder so he would look at me, giving it a gentle but firm squeeze. "Weak, maybe. They fed on you, Eddie." I paused, because even though rumors had gone around school and everyone had suspected about Lissa and I, what I was about to do was actually admit it out loud. If it would help Eddie, I would put my pride aside. "I know what that feels like." His eyes bore into mine, and I knew the moment he realized I was talking about my time on the run with Lissa. May have been under different circumstances, but the effects were the same. "You and I…were cut from a different cloth. Many would be immobile and unable to move. You didn't. You gave them hope. You still fought. That's a powerful thing."
He offered me a timid smile, and I was glad to see some of his personality returning. "I guess that is what happens when you see Belikov come charging in like the badass he is."
I winced. "Yeah."
We started walking again, because the mention of Dimitri made me long to want to be back at his side as quickly as possible.
"How is he?"
"He's in a coma. The doctors and Lissa are hopeful though."
Eddie nodded agreeably. "He will, Rose. You'll see. They don't call him a god for nothing."
I gave him a smile that didn't really reach my eyes. That was what I hoped. I was trying to have faith, because I wouldn't be able to accept any other outcome.
"He's partly the reason I fought so hard out of the haze; you know." I looked over at him, confirming with a curt nod. "He just has this way of making you believe. Believe that you can do the impossible. That you can be your best even when you think you've hit your limits."
I felt another pang in my chest. "Yeah."
We reached the infirmary doors, but I noticed that Eddie was hanging back.
"You go ahead," he urged.
"You sure? I think some of them would like to meet their hero."
He made a Pfft sound. "Thanks, Rose. I'm sure."
We said our goodbyes as he turned and walked in the opposite direction. I made a promise to myself that I would check on him again later. For now, there was only one person on my mind that I wanted to be with.
Lissa was curled up in the chair, the blanket pulled around her shoulders as she slept softly. She had to be exhausted and worn out for her to look as peaceful as she did in the contorted uncomfortable looking position, she was in. I almost hated to wake her, but after all she had done for Dimitri and everyone else, she deserved to go back to her room and sleep in a comfortable bed.
I shook her shoulders lightly, Lissa stirring immediately as her eyes flew open. "What's wrong? Is it Dimitri? Is he ok? Did he wake up?"
"Hey, hey, it's ok," I said calmly, trying to ease some of the panic in her expression.
She pushed her hair back from her forehead. "What time is it?"
"Three in the afternoon," I answered. Normally their sleeping time to avoid the harshness from the sun. "You should go back to your room and get some rest. I'll stay with him now."
She looked over at Dimitri. "I should check his bandages before I go."
I nodded; taking the blanket from her, as she walked over and thoroughly checked on him again. I couldn't keep my curiosity at bay. "Everything, ok?"
She nodded; and I could tell by her face, she meant it. "Looks good. On the outside, he almost looks like nothing ever happened."
I knew that Lissa felt horrible that she couldn't fully heal him like she had done with me in the car crash and again when Victor had snapped my ankle like a twig. With all of the incoming injuries and wounds, she had to tend to the most serious and only do enough to prevent him from bleeding out. The rest could be healed with our faster dhampir healing abilities. As it was already, he was mostly just left with scabs that would probably be gone in another day or two and bruises.
She put his blanket back around him. "Hey, Lissa?" She looked over at me, as her hands dropped back to her sides. "Thank you."
She smiled. "Of course, Rose. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you." She looked down at Dimitri. "Or him. You're my family now."
It only made the guilt I was feeling about keeping my feelings and relationship about Dimitri a secret. "I'm sorry. About…"
She waved me off. "It's ok, Rose—"
"But it's not," I interrupted. "I should have told you. Maybe I just forget that with the bond we already know so much…"
"That you want to keep at least one thing to yourself," she finished. "At least the bond is only one way."
I grinned. "Well, look at it from this way…I have never seen you in the bathroom or in an overly intimate position."
Her cheeks flushed. "Thankfully."
We smiled at each other, and just like that I was glad that everything between us was good again. I wanted to tell her about my mother and what I heard, but her well-being was more important at this time. She needed rest. As her guardian, I needed to make sure I put her first.
"Do you want me to walk you back?" I was still her guardian after all.
She waved me off. "I'll be fine, Rose. Dimitri needs you more."
After Lissa left, I grabbed the blanket, spreading it over my legs, resuming my position with his hand tucked within my own. The last twenty-four hours of the attack on the school, and now the caves were catching up with me, now that my adrenaline had faded.
Before I knew it, my eyes closed, and I fell into a deep sleep.
"Rose?"
The sound of my name broke through the haze of my sleep. I stirred, bringing my forehead up from my forearm. There was a nasty crick in my neck from having slept this way for who knew how long. I slowly started to rub both my eyes as they blinked open and slowly, squinting as the light started to evade.
I looked up, to see that Dimitri was awake. He was awake! His eyes were half opened, but it was the splash of cold water I needed to fully come awake now. I sat up straighter, forgetting that at some point in the night I must've fallen asleep talking to him at the edge of his bed.
"Dimitri?"
The corner of his mouth lifted. "Hey."
"I'm so glad you're ok. You are ok, right?"
He winced as he coughed but nodded. "A little sore," he admitted. "What happened?"
"You don't remember?"
He looked up as he thought about my question, his mouth tightening, eyes squinting as he attempted to recall the memory. "I remember going in and finding those that had been kidnapped. I remember Alberta and I being overrun." He turned back to face me now, his hand squeezing mine. "I remember you showed up." I nodded encouragingly, but he paused. A second later, his brow drew together. "We were leaving, and…I was attacked. By surprise."
"It was the same Strigoi from the school. The one that seemed to lead them," I supplied.
Dimitri frowned, his free hand coming up to his neck. "I got bit."
My eyes dropped, as I nodded in confirmation. "We learned to late that within the caves there was so many hiding spaces in the crevices. There had been at least four waiting at the opening, and they jumped on you just as we were leaving. They pulled you back in the cave.
His forehead wrinkled as he looked back at me. "We were running out of time. The sun was ready to set. How…"
His words died in his mouth when he took one look in my face. "I couldn't just leave you…"
Even in his injured state, he still managed to give me his perfect mentor concerned look. "Rose, that was dangerous. You could have been killed."
"So, could you," I replied quietly.
"Rose…"
I met his eyes with a profound determination. "If things were reversed, would you have left me?"
I could see that he wanted to argue my point, but he couldn't. Because if things had been reversed, he would have run back in there without any hesitation to attempt to save me.
"Thank you."
I smiled. "You can't get rid of me that easily, Comrade."
He smiled a slow smile. "I have no intentions of getting rid of you, Roza."
Roza. Those words were comforting and made a warmth spread through my chest. "Good. Me neither." I sucked in my bottom lip. "I hope you still say that after I tell you this next part."
His brows furrowed. "Something tells me this isn't going to be good."
"Your instincts have always been impeccable."
"Rose…"
I let out a sigh. "Well, when you got taken by the Strigoi…everyone had said we couldn't go back. That it was too dangerous, and we had run out of time."
"It was and we were," he agreed.
I rolled my eyes. "Anyway, I made a big stink, like you know I can…" That earned me another smile from him. "I refused to leave you. I basically told my mother, Alberta, and Stephen that I was going back with or without their help."
As I met his gaze, I was certain that there was a mixture of pride, respect, and love shinning back at me. "I imagine that didn't go over well."
I laughed. Now I could since he was awake and would be ok. "No. Nobody wanted to leave you…but…"
Dimitri squeezed my hand. "Rose, I understand. We're guardians. First and foremost, their safety was our concern."
"Not to me," I admitted quietly. His eyes softened. "Once my mother saw that I wasn't going to leave, she came back with me. Between the two of us, we were able to fend them off and get you out of the cave."
His eyes went wide. "I thought that was a dream. I remember seeing you, and…"
I grinned. "You scolded me even then for going back for you." Apparently, that notion made a wry smile reach his lips. I braced myself for the next part. "My mother is pretty perceptive as you know." My thumb started nervously drawing circles on the top of his hand. "She suspects that my going back in for you was not just because you were my mentor, and I was your student."
Outside of the simple nod he gave me, he masked his expression that he was able to do so well. I was waiting for him to get spooked again. Right before the caves, we had assured each other that we loved each other and that there was no going back. No hiding. That was when we could still keep it a secret and at least wait until I graduated. I didn't think my mother would let this go.
It was his next words that ended up surprising me again. He seemed to be doing that a lot more lately. "It was bound to come out. I'm surprised we managed to keep it quiet as long as we did."
I knew my face to him had to register my complete and utter total shock. "So, you still want me? Want this?"
His expression morphed as if he was appalled by my words. "Roza, I told you, no more lies. I'm not interested in a life without you."
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding in. "Yeah, but like you said…my mother is a force to be reckoned with. She could get you fired or reassigned. Then what will happen?"
"It will be an ugly conversation for sure." He winced just thinking about it. "It will work out. We'll be ok," he reassured squeezing my hand again. I wanted so bad to climb in the bed and lay next to him, but I didn't want to press our luck.
I shook my head in disbelief. "How are you so sure?"
His eyes sparkled. "Because your worth it, Roza."
I looked up at the door briefly, making sure that no one was around, before I sprang from the chair, and planted a kiss right on his lips. One he eagerly returned. We may have challenges ahead, but at least it would be challenges we would face together. As long as we were together, we could take on anything.
