A.N: Hey guys!!!

Here is a chapter full of fluff and cheesiness I mean we need it after 20 chapters of angst no?

Thanks to all of you who reviewed I was so so happy to read them all.

Oh one more thing I need to warn you guys that next chapter will contain a page and a half of M rated writing. I will of course put a warning at the beginning of the chapter and just before the M part will start I mean I didn't want to rate the full story as M just for like 2 pages you know.

Anyways enjoy and don't forget to review to tell me what you think.

Hugsies xoxo

Chapter 21:

I stood up and rushed to his side.

"Oh, Dimitri" I said with a sob, starting to give him butterfly kisses all over his face. "You came back... You came back to me." I said with tears in my eyes, but this time it was tears of joy. I couldn't stop to look into his eyes, where the gleam of life was back.

"Of course," he said with a voice barely louder than a whisper. "I would have battled all the Demons of Hell just to see your face again."

I chuckled while sobbing and it made a very strange sound that made him smile.

"It looks like you missed me too?" He asked his voice hoarse.

"You have no idea," I said putting my hands on each side of his face. "It's not something you can word. I was like…non-existent without you."

I could see he had trouble swallowing.

"Do you want something to drink?" I said going directly to the bathroom not waiting for an answer.

I came back with a glass of water, lifted the bed a bit and helped him drink.

"I'm going to call Olendzki, let her know you're back. She needs to check that everything is fine." I said worried looking around to try to locate the phone.

"In a moment," he said the voice clearer. "I… I just need to be with you for now Roza" He smiled. "Things can only be fine when you are by my side."

Of course I was worried to see if he was okay but I was just so happy to have him back and I needed to share the love we felt that I gave in.

I smiled and walked back to the bed. I kissed his lips softly. "I feel just the same," I said assessing the situation. I took the glass from his hand and lay beside him.

"You're going to damage your beautiful dress." He said while circling my waist with his arm.

"I couldn't care less about the dress," I said snuggling so close to him that it was like our bodies were one.

"Yeah, well… You'll have to wear it again when I'll be better." He said seriously. "I really want to...appreciate it differently." He added and I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Whenever you want," I said with a low chuckle.

"I won't forget that," he said cheekily.

I sighed with content and I was actually happy that the dress had such a high slide, as it allowed me to wrap my leg around Dimitri's body and he brought his warm hand and rested it on my bare thigh.

I kept my head on his shoulder, but brought my hand to his cheek to caress it tenderly. I wanted to ask him what he could recall, how he made it back to us but it was way too early we'd have all the time for that since I would never let him abandon me ever again.

"Damn Rose… I knew you would be here," said Kashka walking into the room. "That's nice to abandon me with Queen bitch."

"It's nice to see you sistra." said Dimitri with a chuckle, but he tightened his grip on my thigh and his arm around my waist in order to keep me where I was.

"Dimka?!" She asked almost choking on the word. "Oh, Dimka!" She added with a smile in the voice. "I knew you could do it!" She added walking to stand beside the bed.

I kissed his jaw. "Let me get up," I whispered.

He sighed, but loosened his embrace so I could stand.

Kashka bent down and kissed her brother before hugging him tight.

I looked at them and decided to give them some privacy. As Kashka told me before he was her brother, she had been grieving too.

"I better go back to Queen bitch before she starts wondering where I am." I said reluctantly.

"Yeah, she was starting to wonder what took you so long…" She shook her head.

I stood there locking eyes with Dimitri and he probably saw my reluctance to let him.

"You go Roza. I'll be here waiting I swear." He promised with a small smile. "And maybe you can tell Olendzki that I'm awake." He added with a wink.

I nodded. "Will you come back?" I asked to Kashka.

She laughed. "Oh, I don't think so Rose. There is a limit of what I can deal with before going crazy psycho."

I chuckled. "I know only too well what you mean," I said giving Dimitri a quick peck before rushing back to the Hall.

I wanted to shout my happiness to the world. I never ran so fast or felt so light before.

As soon as I walked in the room, there was probably something so different about me, as the eyes of my friends were completely locked on me. Even Eddie lost his guardian smugness and looked at me with questioning eyes.

I looked at Christian and Lissa who looked at me for a little while before I saw their eyes widen with understanding and relief.

I just nodded toward them to let them know that they guessed right.

I walked to Olendzki and when I whispered to her ear that she needed to go and check on Dimitri as he was awake she almost fell of her chair.

She stood up immediately and excused herself as calmly as she could before rushing out.

Eddie finally realized, by the blissful look on my face and Olendzki's reaction that Dimitri was back. He discreetly elbowed my mother and Ben before pointing toward me with his chin.

I went back to the table, excusing myself for my prolonged absence and sat still a bright smile on my face. It was so much easier to deal with all this Queen shit now that my Dimitri was back.

All of my friends were so happy for us and even Adrian seemed genuinely happy. We kept our chat in hushed tones, as we didn't need the Queen knowing about it, and I actually felt like the old Rose, strong and ready to conquer the world.

Once it was polite enough to leave, I pretended to be tired in order to get back to my room. The Queen didn't seem bothered by that and even wished me a good night.

I think she was so absorbed by herself that she didn't even get that our little group excused itself in a 10-minute time slot.

We made it to the clinic almost all of us at the same time which crowded the room.

Olendzki was in the room examining Dimitri and asked up to give them some space and to come back in the morning.

Apparently she noticed my murderous glare as she took a step back toward the bed, probably scared I would shot her, which I was actually on the brink of doing.

Dimitri chuckled. "Come on Roza…" he said nicely, locking eyes with me.

As soon as I looked at him all the anger I felt just instantaneously faded.

"I'll still be there in the morning and you need to sleep for a while. I can see you're tired." He winked. "You need to change too even if…" He looked at me from head to toes again. "Did I tell you how much I loved the dress?" He added with a cheeky smile.

I blushed slightly and nodded. "Yeah... I think you did." I said chuckling too.

"Well… I guess his libido is still working just fine!!" muttered Christian behind me.

"That's it perv. You're out!" I said to him but I couldn't help but smile.

"You're all out." Said Olendzki seriously. You had to give it to the woman… she had some guts.

I finally nodded surrender. I felt very self-conscious with my friends around as well. Dimitri and I used to share our love in our own little world, hidden from the scrutinizing eyes. I didn't know if he was ready to actually show what we had to the world but his next words answered that question for me.

"Don't I get a kiss goodnight?" he asked looking at me.

I smiled, but Christian talked before I could say anything.

"You kinky Russian… I don't swing that way but if you really want one…" He said trailing off. You could leave it to him, he was the best to lighten the mood.

I heard a low thud and a 'ouch' coming from Christian. I guessed Lissa had just slapped the back of his head.

I rolled my eyes and chuckled. "I thought you'd never ask." I said walking to him as the others left the room.

I kissed his lips very slowly. "I'll miss you tonight." I whispered to his ear.

"I'll miss you too my Roza, but you'll be right here," he said pointing at his heart "and right there," he said tapping his temple. "You always were you know… you never left me… not a minute" he added taking my hand.

Those words meant the world to me. I've been hoping that I was in his heart and head as he always was in mine.

"I know… You were with me too." I kissed his forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow," I said reluctantly taking a step back. I nodded toward Olendzki to show her my gratitude and left to meet my friends that were waiting for me in front of the clinic.

We all met in my room and explained to Tasha everything, as she was clueless. We stayed together just chatting for a couple of hours on how we were relieved and how Dimitri and I deserved that happy ending and everything but all I knew was that, for the first time since the Strigoi attack, I was in a hurry to go to sleep as I couldn't wait for tomorrow to start… Time wasn't my enemy anymore as I got to spend it with Dimitri.

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When I made it to the clinic the next day Dimitri looked even better than the previous day. His bed was completely up so he was sitting. He had his hair back in his usual ponytail and his face just lit up when he saw me like… Like I was the only person in his world.

"How are you doing?" I asked walking up to him.

"Much better now you are here." He said smiling.

I kissed him and softly brushed his cheek with the back of my hand. "Trying to seduce me?" I asked teasingly sitting on the bed slightly turned on my left to face him.

"Is it working?" He asked with a wink putting one of his hand on my leg.

"Oh course!" I said laughing now. It was my first real laugh in forever and it felt so nice. I really thought it would never happen again.

We just stared at each other for a little while lost in each other's eyes.

"Do you know how much I love you?" I blurted out before even thinking.

"I've got an idea yeah… And it's pretty close of how much I love you" he said squeezing my hand. "I mean…" He shrugged. "You even sang Josh Groban to me…" He smiled. "I never thought you were a fan."

My mouth popped open and my eyes widened. I did sing You Are Loved (don't give up) while he was 'out' but I never thought he remembered.

"What was it already?'Don't give up, it's just the hurt that you hide. When you're lost inside, I will be there to find you.'" He sang very, very badly. At least I found something he was terrible at. "And you did find me. I reached the surface because of your voice. I fought because I knew you were waiting for me on the other side."

"You heard everything?" I asked really feeling bad for him. "How… What was it like?" I asked a bit embarrassed to bring such a sensitive subject but the curiosity had the best of me, as usual.

He nodded lost in his thought. "It was weird you know, like being under water. I heard the voices from far away, but it was yours that really reached me." He looked at me. "Loud and clear and... And I was fighting my hardest to resurface. I wanted to tell you that I was trying." He shook his head. "It was killing me to hear your pain and not being able to make you understand that I was trying."

"I'm sorry to have caused you distress." I said sincerely.

"Don't be silly!" He said lovingly. "Don't you understand? When I heard you say you were going to leave for a while, that was the thing I needed and I fought even harder, I didn't think I had it in me but letting you go without you knowing how much I loved you, how much I needed you…" he shook his head. "It was just impossible."

I didn't say anything I just threw myself in his arms. He wrapped them around my waist with a low chuckle.

"Awww Roza… I did miss your impetuosity." He said kissing the top of my head.

I craned my head and started to give him some open mouth kisses along his jaw. He tightened his grip around my waist probably to show me how much he liked what I was doing.

I propped up to start kissing his lips and he replied, pretty eagerly, to my kisses when we heard a loud throat clearing behind us.

I quickly jumped off the bed and saw my mother standing awkwardly on the threshold.

"Well, I'm...sorry to interrupt," she started, looking around as to ease the discomfort she felt and probably the one she felt coming from us too. "I... I just wanted to check on you."

"Thank you…" Said Dimitri nicely reaching for my hand entwining our fingers together. He perfectly knew that my mother…well the whole world knew about us and he decided to make it clear. "I'm glad to be back."

"We're glad to have you back." Said my mother keeping her eyes on our entwined fingers. There was no anger in her eyes, only worries and who could blame a mother for that? "We…worried a lot." She added finally looking up again.

"Rose," he said squeezing my hand to ask for my attention. I looked at him with wonder. "Could you give us a moment please?" He asked me coolly not show me it was no biggy.

I looked at him warily which made him chuckle.

"Please?" He asked tentatively.

I sighed and nodded. I kissed his forehead and walked to my mother. I was pretty sure that I had pleading eyes saying 'please be nice with him mom.'

As I passed by her she smiled tentatively and padded my shoulder.

"You look so much better Rose," she whispered to me.

"I just haven't been able to breathe for so long..." I said with a small smile walking in the corridor closing the door behind me.

I looked both at my left and right and looked at the door for a little moment. It would be wrong to listen wouldn't it? He asked me for privacy I owed him that right? But with each question I took a step closer to the door.

Ehhh Never mind! I had never been able to let go of this damn curiosity and it won't happen today plus I looked around again if God didn't want me to listen He would send someone in this corridor now (yeah, yeah I know I loved using God when it was in my best interest but...who doesn't?)

I locked my ear to the door as Dimitri was talking.

"…Yeah I know and really I wanted to talk to you in other circumstances, but I guess that life decided otherwise" he said with a low chuckle and by the sound of it he was uncomfortable. Oh my god I finally get it!! He was seeking approval!!

I listened even more eagerly now.

"I intended to talk to you after graduation. Explain to you why I wouldn't be the princess guardian and the reason is that…" He stopped for a little while probably thinking. "As hard as Rose and I tried to stay away from each other, we were not strong enough. We stole each other's heart and it became pointless to pretend we could put any moroi life before each others… No one's life is more valuable to me than Roza," he said and I could hear all the love and care in his voice that it tightened my chest.

"I… I can comprehend that but… She is still so young Belik--- Dimitri. I can't help but worry."

The room remained silent for a while and I almost barged in as I started to worry. I really didn't want him to start questioning our relationship.

"I see how you can feel that way but I know Rose" He said seriously. "No offence but I think I even know her better than anyone else as she opened up to me like she never did before and she also understand me like no one else." I could hear the fond smile in his voice. I could even picture it on his face. "She is a lot older in her head. She reads through me," he chuckled. "She saw through my pretends, my fears, my weaknesses. She helped me to stand when I needed her and I lent her my strength when she needed it."

My mom exhaled and it seemed to be an act of rendition.

"Well, all that to tell you that I really, really do love her. More than I can express and I really wish for you to approve of me…of us. I will spend every moment of my life to make her happy, to make her safe…I don't pretend it will be perfect but I will spend every moment together to love her like nobody else ever could and if she ever shed tears because of me it will be tears of happiness as every breath I take will be an ode to our love"

"There is no point arguing with the love you share." Said my mom softly. "And I wouldn't have believed so much love and resolve to sacrifice everything for each other was possible. I mean when I saw what you went through for each other, the obstacles you overcame… Well, it stopped me in my determination to kill you" she said chuckling.

I sighed with relive imagining her go all Carrie on him.

"I know that Rose loves you more than reason should allow it." She said not at all judgmental, she was just stating a fact. "And it seemed that you loved her just the same…and the recent Strigoi experience, how your love for her remained…" She stopped for a second. "Take care of her, ok? Promise that you'll make her feel worthy and loved for the rest of your existence" she said seriously.

"I swear it on my life." Said Dimitri earnestly. "I'll spend everyday showing her she did the right choice when she chose to give me her heart."

"So I wish you two to be happy. And I'm happy to welcome you into the family…son." She said sincerely.

I took two steps back and quickly walked a bit further from the door trying to dry my tears of happiness or otherwise I'll be screwed.

About two minutes later, my mom opened the door and smiled to me as I was standing about 15 feet down the hall.

"Well, I'll see you later Rose," she said with a smile.

"Yeah, I love you mom." I said impulsively.

She looked at me and smiled even more. "Love you too," she said going up the stairs.

I walked back into the room closing the door behind me.

"Hey." I said walking to the bed.

Dimitri smiled. "How was I?" He asked eyeing me.

"Sorry… What?" I asked naively.

Dimitri laughed loudly. It was a real laugh. "Come on Roza!! I know you too well!! You're a helpless curious! I know you had the ear so glued on that door that you where almost making one with it." He took my hand and kissed it. "I love my cheeky Roza." He added winking.

I laughed too. "You were just great and… I feel just the same you know that." I added crawling back to the bed to be beside him. "I'd give anything for you."

"And you almost did." He said a bit sadly. "We will need to talk about the future Roza…our future fairly soon."

I turned my face to kiss his cheek. "I know we do, but get better first and then we'll talk future," I said nicely. "And I don't really care I'll be fine as long as we're together," I said and it was a small lie, as I would be happy of course, but a part of me needed to have a role in Lissa's life… how small that role would be .

"As long as we are together" confirmed Dimitri bringing his hand to my neck to kiss me passionately.