A.N: Hey Guys!

Well I really hope you'll enjoy this chapter. Sorry it was a bit late but work is still insane.

Please don't forget to review I love reading you.

Oh by the way I made a Rose & Adrian video on youtube called 'Adrian & Rose: Soulmate' check it out.

Thanks guys

Steffy

Chapter 19:

I sighed subconsciously as we were driving in Manhattan. We passed in front of Central Park and I could see the leafs turning orange, showing that the Autumn was there.

"You'll see Rose, New York is beautiful in Autumn." Said Tasha gently.

"I'm not here for site seeing, I'm here to work." I said keeping my eyes out.

When Tasha didn't reply I realized how mean it sounded, but it wasn't my intention. I quickly turned to look at her. "Sorry, I didn't mean it in a bad way."

"I know, I didn't take it badly." She smiled.

"So, on which schedule are we going to live here? Human or Moroi?" I asked going back to business. It felt good to be able to concentrate on something I could more or less control.

"I think we might say we'll live in half and half." She said turning in a building car park. "You know I own half of the dojo right?"

I nodded

"Well I give the late afternoon and evening classes so…" she shrugged slightly. "So I usually wake up around 1 pm."

"Oh it's nice, a foot in each world." I took my bag along with Tasha's from the trunk and followed her in the elevator.

"Wow…" I said when she pressed the 15th floor.

"Yeah pretty high, it's not the biggest apartment but I think you will like it. However…" She seemed a bit uncomfortable.

"However?"

"I didn't plan on taking anyone with me so the guest room is a mess."

"Oh it's cool," we entered the apartment and I saw a big sofa. "It seems comfy enough."

She looked at the sofa and shook her head. "No don't be silly I was thinking that maybe you could use Christian's room for a little while."

"Yes, of course!"

She nodded gesturing me to follow her down the corridor.

"Holy Cow!" I couldn't help but let out when I entered his room. "The boy really like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles huh?" I pointed to the huge poster just above his bed and the figurines on his bookshelves.

"We've kept the same decorum since he was eight" said Tasha with nostalgia clear in her voice.

I didn't even think about how much she probably missed him being alone here.

"I like the room" I said smiling, "it changes."

"I'm glad to have you there, I miss the company."

I wanted to ask her yet again why she was so nice to me but I didn't, I wasn't sure I really wanted to know to be honest.

The next couple of weeks went pretty well and I didn't get too sullen getting into the routine since this life did occupy my mind most of the time.

I was helping out with the dojo and Tasha told them I was her third degree cousin. I actually liked helping her with the students there, when I was teaching I was forgetting about the mistakes and bad choices I had made.

I was sharing emails at least twice a week with Liam and my father and I was grateful enough that neither of them tried to mention the Court and my friends. However, a small part of me couldn't help but get disappointed every morning seeing no message from them.

The hardest moments still came at night when I was lying in bed surrounded by the Ninja Turtles and comics and I had nothing else to do then was thinking about the choices I made, the ones I still had to make.

I woke up in the middle of the night with a voice calling me, it was deformed but it reminded me of Adrian somehow.

I shook my head knowing it couldn't be Adrian, he probably already started to forget I even existed by now, he never came into my dreams, not even for a minute.

I tiptoed to the kitchen, as I didn't want to wake Tasha up but I found her in the kitchen her head buried in a notebook, a calculator in the right hand.

"Are you okay?"

"Uh? What? I…" She sighed "yeah I'm fine."

I warmed myself a peppermint herbal tea and sat by her at the table.

"Talk to me…I'm your guardian right?"

She looked up and smiled. "Oh you know, the Dojo is not really financially stable and…" She shrugged. "The Dojo on 5th av is our main concurrent and it's hard financially."

"I like working there you know"

She nodded "and you are very good at it."

"You know I have inheritance from the Queen right."

"Yeah…" She said confused.

"What about I became a partner with you and John?"

She reached for my hand across the table and squeezed it. "I appreciate it Rose but no, I wouldn't want you to invest in a business that is struggling."

"It's just…I'm not sure I want to be a guardian after the one year appointment."

"Really?"

I nodded, it was true I didn't have anything really linking me to the guardian life. If I wanted to be a guardian it was to keep Lissa safe and she clearly didn't need me for that anymore. "I just…I think I sacrificed enough for the cause, a cause I don't really believe in anymore. I have nothing left to give to our world."

Tasha was silent for a little moment, like if she was lost in her thought."There's moments in your life that make you, that set the course of who you're going to be. Sometimes they're little, subtle moments. Sometimes they're not. Are you sure it's what you want?"

I nodded

"You remember your mother will be here tomorrow right?"

I winced. It was not like I was not happy to see my mother, our relationship was so much better than it once was but she was not taking the gloves off with me and my…'childish consideration'. I knew that, where Tasha and Liam were careful enough not to mention Lissa or Adrian or anything else that might hurt my feelings, my mom wouldn't stop herself.

"She is not that bad" said Tasha probably misunderstanding my face. "Still sure you don't want me to clear out the guest room for her?"

I shook my head. "I know she is not bad it's just that tact is not really one of her quality." I sighed. "And for the guest room, no really, she is just staying the day with me and then she will go to the Court to join her charge." I shrugged "I don't really mind guarding, it's everything for her I get that, it doesn't mean she loves me any less" I added even if I had to admit it took me years to understand that. "She will just have to understand that our priorities in life differ now."

"She will accept it." Said Tasha confidently.

I stood up. "It's not like I'm giving her the choice am I? I have to do what's best for me. The rest is just irrelevant. Good night and don't worry too much…We'll figure something out for the Dojo."

The next morning I changed my routine, I was supposed to meet my mother by my, now favorite, breakfast place. You could get so many different kind of bagels and cookies and pancakes…It was like heaven for sugar addicts like me.

"Are you sure you want to meet your mother in a public place." Tasha asked me just before I left.

I chuckled "yes I have a plan…I will tell her what I intend to do there so she can't shout and then, well we'll come back here, but she will be much calmer by then."

"Uh huh….If you say so." Said Tasha clearly not convinced.

My mom was already waiting in front of the pancake factory when I arrived.

I realized how much I missed her as soon as I saw her crazy red hair in the crowd but I knew there was no point mentioning this longing as my mother was a guardian first than a mother, but I didn't judge her for that, at least not anymore. We all had choices to make, some hard choices and sometimes you didn't even like the choices you were making.

"Rose, you look well" she said after giving me a hug.

"Yeah…who would have thought that the New York air would suit me?" I said in a miserable attempt to joke.

We sat at a table in the back.

"I'm sorry I'm only here for the day but Lord Swelzky is at the Court and, well, he requested my presence."

"Its okay, I understand" I replied and for once I meant it.

"Aren't you going?" She asked just after our order has been taken.

Here we go I thought, cringing inwardly. I shook my head negatively sipping my coffee.

"How can you not go? It's big Rose, it's the first time in years the Council will be complete as Lissa will be assisting her first council meeting, you know that right?"

"Of course I do!" I said hoping I was bluffing her well enough. "It's just that I have other priorities now, you should know about setting priorities" and I knew it came out a lot colder and meaner than intended.

She seemed taken aback for my comment but it only lasted a minute. "She is your best friend; I thought she was your priority."

"Priorities can change mom" I said not able to conceal the weariness of that statement.

I could see she was about to retort something but she looked at my face and simply nodded. I didn't know what she could read there but it had to be pretty alarming if it stopped my mother from setting my priorities straight in her eyes.

"I don't think I want to be a guardian anymore" I blurt out making her almost choke on her coffee.

"I…What? And when did that came up to you? You are getting too old for a teenage rebellion."

"Mom…" I sighed "that's why I didn't want to tell you anything. I have been considering that for a long time now and …" I shrugged knowing that whatever I would say it wouldn't make things better in her eyes. "I don't feel like a guardian, not anymore. I will keep my initial one year assignment but that's it, there's so many things I can do with my life."

"What are those things?" She asked curiously and I almost did my happy dance. Not having her jumping on me now was already a victory.

"Maybe college, not sure yet." I knew I wouldn't go to college but I knew parents like the idea most of the time so I thought it would ease her mind.

"College? Really?" She asked incredulous. Apparently she knew me better than I thought.

"Why not? I've got the money to do that don't I? I just need to step out. I'm sorry mom but I have to do what I consider is right for me."

"How do you know it's right for you?"

"How do you know it's not?"

She sighed putting her cup down; "I just don't want you to make a mistake."

"Yes I know that but it will be my mistakes. I have to walk away."

My mom looked at me thoughtfully for not more that a minute but it seemed like forever to me. "If you feel like you have to."

"Thanks" I said with real gratitude.

The rest of the day went pretty smoothly, I took my mom to central park but not to Adrian's favorite part, even if I went there almost every day. It was my spot, I didn't want to share it.

I joined Tasha at the dojo as the sun was setting. As I walked in I saw the young actor to which Tasha's associate was giving some private lessons and an idea came to me.

"Why don't you ask him to promote the Dojo?" I asked to Tasha jerking my head toward the private room

She winced. "You know he is an ass and I'm pretty sure he wants to keep this place a secret, he is really getting famous now."

"Do you mind if I ask him?"

"Do you promise not to beat him to death?" Tasha asked knowing how he was getting under my skin.

"Yeah…I'll do my best."

"Ummm…" She rubbed her neck like every time she was embarrassed.

"What's up?"

"You know Christmas is coming closer and…" she looked around "and Christian…" she trailed off.

"Oh...OH! Yes you have to go to the court, I understand don't worry I have plans"

"You do?" She asked incredulous

"Yes my father invited Liam and I to Turkey." I shrugged. "Liam said he would go if I did." I smiled "I think I will go I mean…it's in my genes right?"

"Sure?"

"Of course!" I gestured dismissively. "I really want to go there."

"Yes but-"

At this moment the door of the private room and the smartass actor came out.

"Ryan please, can I talk to you?" I asked running to him.

"Ahh Rosita! I knew you'd come around" he said with his cocky smile.

I was about to tell him to shove his face in his butt but I needed him. "I need to ask you something."

"Please talk" he said crossing his arms on his chest.

"Would you mind promoting the Dojo at the premiere of your movie? I mean it's only fair right? You landed the role because of your training."

"I tell you what" he gave me his best predator smile. "I'll promote the movie at the February premiere if YOU give me private lessons."

I opened my mouth to let out some acidic comment but managed to stop it on time. "I will never EVER date you."

"It's yes or no."

"Starting after Christmas, once a week" I conceded.

"Three times a week."

"Twice!"

"Fine" he said with a wink, "See you after the holidays Rosalita!"

"It doesn't mean anything!" I shouted after him as he entered in the changing room

I closed my eyes, my life was still a mess, but this mess I could handle or at least I thought I could.