A.N: Quick note just to thanks you guys for the fantastic reviews. And a big thanks to Megan for her work (awesome like always).

Don't forget to review and show me the love ( or anything else) =D

Hugsies

Chapter 6:

The plane trip took about 90 minutes and the whole way I couldn't believe I was about to see Victor. I was excited but also disgusted to feel this way. It was silly, stupid, and selfish but I just couldn't help it. It brought me closer to my goal… my impossible fairy tale ending.

I was happy when the plane finally landed. The flight was really awkward and mainly silent. Pavel looked grim and the other…Mishka, well he didn't look any better.

The grim brothers! But I guess you didn't choose your guardians on their smile or cheery attitude and these two really look lethal.

After opening the plane door Mishka and Pavel exchanged quick words, Pavel turned to me and gestured me forward.

"Ok here is the drill, guardian Mishka is going to wait by the prison main door while you and I get inside." He said with his very cold voice. I still couldn't see his eyes because they were constantly hidden behind his very dark aviator sunglasses. Which was making me feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Fine," I said ready to exit the plane but he gripped my arm.

"I'm not done Hathaway." He said so frostily that I could have been iced on the spot. "Once we're in you have," he quickly glanced at his watch, "60 minutes and 60 minutes only to talk to him. Done or not, happy or not we'll have to go since we'll have only 30 minutes before the change in the guards. Are we clear?" He said keeping his firm grip on my arm.

"Crystal," I barked getting out his grip.

"Let's go," he said walking briskly in front of me. I knew it sounded childish but it took all of my self control to not kick him in the back of the knee and make him fall.

"It's a human jail!!" I said completely shocked.

"Yeah it is," replied Pavel as we walked down the main corridor.

"How come?" I tried, even if chatting with a freshly woken up grizzly bear seemed far more attractive.

"Who would ever think of looking for a Royal Moroi in a human jail?" He asked rhetorically. "Anyways, here we are," he said as we reached a corridor in the basement. "It's the isolation ward. You'll be separated by a plastic panel but don't worry it's absolutely indestructible."

" Like I worry about Victor Dashkov," I snorted.

"Of course…it's not like you worry about anyone but yourself anyways." He said pursing his lips.

"What's that supposed to mean? "I asked getting really angry now, the douchebag was really getting on my nerves.

"I'll stay beside the door," he said clearly ignoring me. "Go now," he pointed to the glass panel in the middle of the corridor.

He quietly closed the door and rested his back against it.

I could feel his eyes on my back as I slowly walked to meet my living nemesis. The man I hated the most, and one of the people I needed the most as well… How ironic!

When I finally saw him he had his back towards me, he was reading. He still had his silky black hair, the disease hadn't claimed his body just yet.

"Well it's nice to have some visitors," he said not even bothering to turn around.

"I wish I could say the same," I retorted before cursing myself for not being able to keep my voice from shaking.

Victor turned around quickly and started to laugh.

"Rosemarie Hathaway?!" He asked not able to conceal the surprise in his voice.

"The one and only," I said standing up straight and crossing my arms on my chest.

"What a nice surprise," Victor replied with a nice smile as he started walking towards the glass wall. "I always enjoyed your agreeable company."

I bet you did you jackass!! I thought but just gritted my teeth looking at him thoughtfully.

"So Dear Rose…How is Vasilisa doing?" He asked, casually resting a hand on the wall.

"She…She is doing alright." I said giving in. I needed him on my side.

Victor narrowed his eyes slightly. He was getting suspicious since he probably didn't expect me to answer.

"What can I do for you Rose? Are.. Are you managing the spirit effects alright?" He asked and I could see the malevolent light in his eyes.

"That's why I'm here," I admitted.

"Now we're talking." He said and seemed rather pleased about that. "I always liked your honesty Rose."

I snorted.

"No it's true. I always had a soft spot for you…your protecting instinct." He shook his head. "It's just spectacular."

And I knew that it was true in a twisted way. He did ask Strigoi Natalie to do her best to spare my life, he wanted me in his army.

"I'm here to help…" He smiled, but I knew he didn't mean it at all, I knew him too well by now.

I nodded. "I need you to tell me where I can find your brother Robert."

"Robert? Why?! Everybody is looking for Robert these days." Said Victor and I could see his curiosity increasing by the second.

"I'm the one looking for your brother." I said standing straight. "He has some information that I need."

"Is that so?" Asked Victor chuckling. "Please take a seat," he said pointing at the folding chair that was against the corridor wall.

I quickly took it and sat in front of him as he pulled his own chair closer to the glass.

"So why would you need my brother that much Rose? I mean…" He shrugged, "it has to be big for you to come here and I don't even want to know what you promised Abe Mazur."

"I heard he is an expert on spirit and I really need his help." I said evasively.

"I also know a lot about spirit, you know that already. I tried to help you and you just pushed me away as if I was evil personified." He said sounding saddened by the fact, but he didn't fool me. "Maybe my methods were not the best but the goal was right. What is that saying?…" He said pretending to think while gently tapping his chin. " 'All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing.' "

I wanted to say Whatever freaking psycho, you are an evil motherfucker!! Torturing Lissa, making your own daughter turn Strigoi…you make me sick. But I just stared at him not trusting myself to speak.

"And you see well…Spirit does take a toll on people and my brother…my brother is not as sane as he once was." He said staring at me with his keen eyes probably trying to decipher my facial expression, he was a fantastic mentalist, I had to be careful. "Maybe I could answer your question Rose…I'll help YOU! " he said pressing on the 'you' trying to make me feel like I was special.

I sighed with relief apparently he was still alive, that was already something.

"You see I heard this rumor," I said resting my hands on my knees. "A rumor that says your brother knew the way to reverse the Strigoi state." I added and I knew that even if I tried as hard as I possibly could, I was sure he could hear the despair in my voice. His face lit up, he clearly understood that he had the power. Dang!!

"Is that so?" He said crossing his legs. "May I ask who told you that?"

"That's irrelevant." I said dismissively. "Is it true?"

"Why is that so important Rose? I mean lets be honest it sounds pretty much like a fairy tale to me." He was literally marveling. "How important is it to you??"

"I…very" I replied, somberly.

He looked at me for a little while pondering. "Who did you loose to the dark side Rose?"

"No one." I said trying my best to keep my face blank.

"It has to be someone important…Maybe your mother or Vasilisa's little boyfriend?" He tapped his chin with his forefinger. "I mean for your boyfriend to follow you in that crazy and highly criminal adventure it has to be someone REALLY important."

I simply shrugged.

"Where is the boyfriend by the way?" He asked trying to peek down the side but he wasn't curious enough to stand so he could have an even better look. "You are legal now aren't you? And he was pretty crazily possessive with you." He chuckled. "Come on Guardian Belikov you can show yourself." Said Victor with laugher in his voice. "I know perfectly well that you wouldn't let your girlfriend face the evil traitor by herself...Come on!"

"He…is not here." I whispered, acknowledging that took my breathe away.

Victor frowned for a second, "Awww I see Rose. I'm sorry you two were really a match made it heaven." He shook his head with, what I presumed was, fake contrition. " 'Death is not the greatest loss in life . The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.'"

Victor and his quotes! I thought exasperated but decided to play along. "So dear I love him that with him, All deaths I could endure. Without him, live no life." I recited, hoping I got it right but when I saw the genuine pleasure in Victor's face, I knew I hit it right. Victor was a sucker for the classics.

"I'm going to help you Rose, you two have to be together…I always knew you were meant to be." He chuckled, "and to have you quote Shakespeare to me? it's more than love as far as you are concerned!"

"So it's true then. We can reverse the Strigoi state?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest so fast I could barely breathe.

"I haven't seen it with my own eyes but Robert told me that many, so many, times and he has maybe a lot of flaws, but fortunately lying is not one of them." Added Victor with his huge grin.

"What do you want from me?" I asked trying to hide my impatience.

"Nothing, well maybe one or two healings but no… I'll TAKE you to Robert, you have my word." he said nonchalantly, like he was asking me for a piece of bread or something that's very easy to get.

"Take me there…" I whispered. I expected him to ask me to get him out of jail to help me, it was the last card he had to play. He would have been just a fool not to try and I might just be crazy and desperate enough to agree.

"Tell me something Rose, do they know why you are here?" Asked Victor resting his back on the chair, his eyes never leaving mine. "Do they even know you're here?"

I just stared at him, face hard.

"Do your friends know you are battling because of Belikov, all the risks you are taking just for one man?" He asked again but I could see his eyes sparkle with anticipation. He already knew the answer.

He laughed softly. "Well I guess I'm not the only one to have a secret agenda. You are ready to do a lot of things to attain your goal aren't you? Hiding, lying, threatening, maybe even a little torture too."

I couldn't deny that, I did have fun torturing. Strigoi or not it was still wrong and I knew that at the time I just didn't care. I kept thinking whatever the means used, only the goal mattered.

"Oh Rose I always knew you were special, worthy. You've got such an instinct, when you know deep down something is right you fight for it! You're ready to bind the fine line between what is legal and what is not." He said and it made me think of what my mother said about Abe. "We're a lot alike you and I." He added and it couldn't have hurt more if he stabbed me.

"I'm NOTHING like you!" I couldn't help but growl.

He chuckled. "Only time will tell." He said dismissively. "Anyways you have my conditions now, plus it's more a necessity that anything else really." He added mysteriously.

"How come?" I asked taking the bait.

"Robert won't talk to anyone but me." He said keeping his eyes on mine probably to show me he was speaking the truth. "Like I told you, he is not the man he used to be, he won't trust any of you."

I sighed running my hands through my hair. I knew I couldn't trust that snake and I never intended to. But now it was clear I had to decide if I was going to help him break free and becoming a traitor. A traitor in the eyes of my whole world, bringing shame on my family and friends. I could just give up and wait for Dimitri to come to me and let it end by his death or mine. Maybe even both.

"Don't look so tortured Rose, things are never as bad as we think they are." He said in a comforting tone.

Victor trying to comfort me? Things REALLY were bad. "No you're right, sometimes they are worse."

"Hathaway time to go." Said Pavel in an hard and commanding tone.

"Not a fan it seems," Victor noted.

I grimaced getting up.

"Well when you make up your mind you know where to find me. I don't intend to go anywhere anytime soon." Victor commented with a grin.

"Hathaway!" Repeated Pavel even harsher this time.

"I'm coming guardian! Take a fucking valium." I snapped.

"I missed your impetuosity Rose! It was so nice talking to you…I can't wait for us to meet again," he said in such a voice that it gave me the chills.

I nodded curtly to Victor before rushing to meet a very mad Pavel.

"Oh Rose to thank you here is a clue," Victor shouted just as I reached the door. "My brother is safe in the land of Kielland."

I didn't have a chance to hear if he added anything because Pavel closed the big soundproof door.

The land of kielland? Or kielan? kelland? I thought as we walked hurriedly out of the prison. What did it even mean?

"Hurry you'll think some other time!" Said Pavel gripping my wrist.

I gasped. "Let go or I swear to god I'll break every single on of your fingers do you understand?" I snarled with my best death glare. One that I knew I inherited from Abe.

I saw Pavel's jaw lock firmly but he let go of my arm.

"You don't like me do you?" I asked already knowing the answer and not caring really.

"I'm not here to like you," he said bluntly. "I'm here to do my job and bring you back safely to the academy." He added as we reached the main exit where Mishka was waiting.

As we walked back to the plane I had the time to detail them. Mishka was probably in his early 30ies. He was not very tall, maybe 5'9 but pretty burly, actually very burly, with thick muscles. He had ginger hair freckled and very sharp yet warm blue eyes. Each time he looked at me I had a small stabbing pain in my chest because he was how I presumed Mason would look if he did manage to hit 30.

Pavel couldn't be more different. He was very tall probably as tall as Dimitri 6'6 or 6'7 but much MUCH lankier. Well he was not as lanky as a Moroi in general but I knew a few Moroi that were a lot bigger than him, such as Abe and Adrian. To be fair those two were pretty much freaks of the Moroi world since they were really bigger than they should be. He had very short pale blond hair and as for his eyes well… I had no idea but it was maybe not such a bad thing, I was pretty sure they were not full of love and understanding as far as I was concerned.

I settled in the back of the plane deciding to chill for the 90 minutes of the returning flight. I had a lot to decide and those decisions were going to be based on a lot of presumptions.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I could hear Pavel whisper in Russian to Mishka. I caught a couple of words even with my more than scattered knowledge of Russian, I clearly heard 'inconsiderate' and 'selfish' attached to my name.

My eyes shot open, that was it! I was already mad enough .

"Prasteete!"I said coldly standing up walking up to Pavel. Prasteete meant 'excuse me' in Russian. "If you've got something to say I'd rather you say it to my face," I said now standing only mere inches from him.

Pavel looked up to me and I could see that he was gritting his teeth.

"Come on guardian, it will be good for you, give it your best shot!" I said, taunting him. "It's not good to keep it all bottled up you know. Based on medical studies it can affect your libido."

Mishka sent Pavel a warning glance which clearly meant 'don't go there, shut it!'

"I won't tell anyone," I said to Mishka, "his job is safe. Come on Papav," I said even more defiantly now.

Pavel jumped up from his seat like it burned him.

"Oh little girl you don't want to know what I think!!" He said leaning in.

I couldn't help to laugh at that. "Little girl? You are what…21? 22? Please!" I snorted, "and take off those glasses it's ridiculous." I replied, grabbing them and throwing them away.

Pavel balled his hands into fits and I thought he was about to hit me, but when I finally met his eyes I couldn't help but huff.

"It's called Heterochromia," he said coldly because I kept staring at his one icy blue eye and one that was so deep brown it looked almost black. "I don't wear my sunglasses to look badass like you probably think, it's just that people can find it a little…disturbing."

In a normal condition I would have said his eyes were not disturbing, I would have said what I really thought being that they were beautiful, unique, but I was mad and hurt.

"You're a freak all the way aren't you?" I asked with a bitter smile.

"What about you sooka??" He asked crossing his arms on his chest.

I heard Mishka tsk with disapproval in the background but neither of us acknowledged him.

"Oh calling me a bitch ?" I said shaking my head, I knew the Russian insults pretty well. "That's SOOO original Zhopa."

He snorted. "You really want to know what I think?" He asked and it sounded like a threat but I couldn't imagine what he could say to hurt me more than I already was.

"I used to think you were a good person, brave." He shook his head with clear disgust. "I was so wrong. When we were in Baia, I understood you. Even when Mr. Mazur couldn't figure out why you were there I knew… I understood it was to take him down and I thought that you were a girl with so much honor," he snorted. "But now, now you are ready to put all the people who care about you in danger just to save him?"

I looked at him lips pursed.

"You don't even know the risks your father took by arranging this meeting but who cares right?? As long as you get what you want!" He added his eyes locked on mine. "You had so much potential and you throw it away You know deep down that this whole thing will end badly and the disgusting part is that you are going to take the people who love you down with you, and THAT's unforgivable and terribly, terribly selfish!" He pointed at me. "Don't kid yourself, you know that helping him escape will be considered as high treason punishable of life imprisonment. So Hathaway… Who are you going to condemn to this fate? Who loves you enough to fall down with you? The Moroi best friend? The Royal deeply in love with you? The newly found dad?? Tell me novice… Who? Who will it be?" He demanded, inches from my face and I could see so much deception and anger in his eyes.

"You don't know me!" I snapped. I intended to keep it shut and let him talk but I couldn't, maybe because he was closer to the truth than I expected.

"But just so you know the real Belikov would be so disappointed in you…" He said and it had the effect of a hard punch in my stomach.

"Don't you EVER talk about Dimitri do you understand!!" I said shoving him hard. "You don't know him!! Nobody knew him like I did!! Kooshite govno ee oomeeite,"I added shoving him again, so much for wanting to keep my self control.

Pavel grabbed my shoulders hard and nudged me. He was a lot stronger than I expected from his gangly frame. "No I won't 'go eat shit and die' but thanks," he said now actually hurting me he was squeezing so hard. "And maybe I didn't know Belikov personally but I knew his reputation. He was all about safety, honor, and protection. He probably would have risked his life to keep a promise made to you but he would never, and of that I am positive, risked another persons life or reputation for something he felt he had to do. It would have been contrary to all he believed in and that you know Miss smartmouth! You are a dishonor to his memories and you are unworthy of your friends!"

"Are you done?" I said roughly getting out of his grip. "Feeling better?" I added trying my best to look only furious. But deep down I felt like dying. But I wouldn't cry in front of him, I wouldn't show him how badly it hurt…No! Never!

"I do," he said walking passed me to retrieve his glasses from the floor. He put them back and went to sit beside Mishka again. "Just one more thing Hathaway," he said not even bothering to look at me. "Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward. I just hope you realize that before it's to late and you make mistakes that you will regret till your last breath."

"Monkey bars? Really??" I asked wanting to jump on him and punch him unconscious.

Mishka sighed heavily throwing a reproving look to Pavel before concentrating on me, actually talking to me for the first time. "What my idiotic colleague means is that there are things that we never want to let go of, people we never want to leave behind. But keep in mind that letting go isn't the end of the world, it's the beginning of a new life." He said with so much kindness that it actually aggravated the throbbing pain in my chest, in the place where my heart used to be.

I could feel that my eyes started to fill up with tears and I didn't want to give Pavel the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

"Is there a bathroom on this plane?" I asked looking away.

"Behind the curtain," said Mishka pointing to the blue curtain at the end of the plane.

As soon as I pulled back the curtain I let the tears fall quietly. I looked around curiously, across from the toilet there were some metallic drawers and a fridge. I opened the fridge and smiled widely. That was a sign, a way to make me feel better, make me numb for a little while.

Abe was maybe Muslim (I didn't know for sure yet) but that fridge was full of miniatures…. Alleluia!!

I took some of them and stuffed them in my pocket. I took some more for my little trip to the toilet.

I also took some mints that were in a glass ball for my breathe I knew it was completely stupid and irresponsible to do this but at this point I was already at… I couldn't be more disappointing anyways.

I set four little bottles on the lavabo.

"Hello my dear old friends," I said to the bottles. "Johnnie, William, Jack, and Jim, I really missed you guys!!" I said looking at the Johnnie Walker, William Lawson's, Jack Daniel's, and Jim Beam bottles .

I drank the four bottles one after the other knowing that I had two more of each in my pockets, making me smile.

I started to suck on the mint as the alcohols warmth was filling me. Was it a good way to deal with my problems? Absolutely not because they would still be here tomorrow along with a killer headache.

But I was still stuck with 30 more minutes with Pavel and then I had to get through the day with all this guilt and pain….I sighed.

When I came out I sat on the last seat pretending to look at the landscaping. When we landed the sun was still up, it would be for at least two hours before the academy started to move around…3 hours before my training.

"You should go and sleep a bit," said Mishka, "it's going to be a long day." I nodded and as they took the direction to the lower campus where the guardian dorms were, I discreetly took off through the trees and drank three more bottles while sitting under a centennial tree.

I started to laugh it was clear where I needed to go, Adrian would help me feel good... Very good. He was my Moroi knight but deep down I would always be longing for my Dhampir prince, the prince I needed to save.

I drank a fourth bottle on my way to the guest dorms and sucked on a mint before entering it.

I walked close to the wall concentrating on the board to keep walking in a straight line.

I knocked at the door twice. Adrian opened it, his face full of sleep.

He was only wearing black Pj bottoms, bare chest, and his eyes widened when he saw me standing here.

"Rose? Is everything ok?" He asked worried.

"You know you are just adorable when you wake up...Irresistible," I said with a grin. "May I come in?" I asked turning my man eating smile on this time.

"Of… Of course," he stuttered letting me in. "What do you need?" He asked nicely while closing the door.

"You," I said putting a hand at the back of his neck pulling him to me so I could kiss him passionately.