A.N: Hey guys!! Just a quick thanks to my reviewers you are the one keepping me going.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Academy or any of its characters. I wouldn't mind owning Dimitri, Adrian and Christian (Greedy i know but what can i say...I love them lol) but they are not that easy to kidnap...Dang!!

Well don't forget to review and tell me what you think =D.

Take care.

Chapter 12:

When we made it out of the academy I walked with Adrian to a shadowy spot as the sun was up now.

"Wait for me I'll be back in a minute" I said taking off my healing ring. "Take care of that for me will you?"

Adrian nodded.

I walked about 5 feet away from him, up the path.

"Andre…Andre." I whispered. I felt self conscious as I could feel Adrian's eyes on my neck. "Andre please show your face."

I remembered that fear and agitation could help trigger the spirits. I closed my eyes thinking on how Dimitri was getting closer, the danger, the pain of facing him without a way to save him. My heart started to beat faster, I started to have trouble breathing…yep it was official, I was having a small panic attack.

"Andre... please" I whispered again. "I really need you buddy." I opened my eyes slowly and sighed with relief. Andre was standing there, in front of me, with a sad smile.

"Is he here?" Asked Adrian looking at the spot I was looking at curiously.

"Yeah he is just--" I pointed ahead. "Never mind. I really start to feel for the kid in the sixth sense you know" I said concentrating on Andre again. I knew I could have called any random ghost really but one I knew made me feel better….safer in a weird way.

Andre kept staring at me…. I forgot that ghost were not really what we could call talkative. They were more 'staring-till-giving-you-the-creeps' type.

I buried my hands deep in my jeans' pockets. "Hey" I said stupidly.

Andre smile widened slightly and he nodded his hello.

"I…ummm… I need your help".

Andre nodded apparently accepting the task without even thinking about it. Well it was not like he risked that much by accepting anyways. There were not many things he had to afraid about since he was dead!

"Dimitri is coming here and… and I need you to keep tab on his progression… Please. I…" I turned around and looked at Adrian who was looking from me to the apparent empty spot in front of me. There was only curiosity in his eyes, no judgment. He believed me, even before, when they all doubted of my ability to see ghosts he never questioned my mental health. "I need them to be safe."

Andre looked at Adrian thoughtful. I couldn't help to wonder why he was still here, why didn't he move on to the other side like Mason did? What did he need to accomplish here?

Andre pointed from Adrian to me and brought his hand to his heart.

"Love?"

Andre nodded.

"To some extent I guess." I said feeling the blush on my cheeks. I was rather pleased now that Adrian couldn't see ghosts. "Will you help me?"

Andre nodded.

I let out an heavy breath of relief.

"Did he agree?" Asked Adrian inquisitively.

I nodded giving him a quick smile.

"Uh who would have thought that death would suit him…" Adrian chuckled "He was such an ass when he was alive." Adrian was only a year older than Andre, they probably met a lot during the officials parties and stuff. He then seemed to realize that Andre could hear him. "Sorry dude but you know…Well it's ironic to find out that you are more helpful dead than alive"

I shot him a death glare. If Andre decided to leave because of him I'll kick his royal ass but Andre just shrugged it off dismissively with a look on his face that could easily be interpreted by a 'look-who-is-talking' face.

"ANYWAYS" I said concentrating my attention on Andree again. "Do you know if he is already here?"

Andre shook his head negatively.

" 'No' you don't know? Or 'no' he is not here?" I asked losing my patience even if I knew it was not his fault.

"Not here" he mouthed.

"But he is getting closer right?"

Andre nodded.

"Is he coming alone?" I asked dreading the answer.

Andre looked at me for a second and the look on his face gave me his answer before he even shook his head.

"That's not good" I whispered looking down at my feet. Dimitri was raising an army to come. He was already deadly by himself, he fought an household full of Strigoi, older than him, while injured!!

I looked up again and nodded. "Okay... That's okay we'll be ready."

Andre grimaced showing me that I was clearly underestimating this venue.

"It's a war right? He is coming with an army?"

"Yes…I'm sorry" whispered Andre sadly before he started to flicker. I understood now that trying to talk was draining a lot of energy from the ghosts.

"I know you are." I kept my eyes on Andre now not wanting Adrian to see my distress. "OK I'll come back out in two days. Thank you."

Andre gave me another small smile. And pointing to the Academy and to his heart. "I know you love her…I'll keep her safe I promise."

Andre nodded and disappeared.

"So?" Asked Adrian and I walked back to him.

"Well, It's not that good but…" I shrugged "at least he is not in the US…yet." I put my ring back.

"Everything will be alright my little dhampir" he said wrapping an arm around my shoulder kissing my forehead.

"Thank you." I said sincerely. I knew what he said didn't stand on anything concrete but it was good to hear, so good to have someone who had faith in you, with the situation ahead. "Oh by the way I would like to keep this little meeting a secret if you don't mind."

Adrian narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "More secrets Rose? Really?" He clacked his tongue reprovingly.

"Honestly it will only confuse Lissa to know that Andre is still around, it means that he is not at peace. Do you think she needs to know something like that in the present situation? She is still pretty weakened by the whole Avery mess, the break up and the Dimitri's situation."

"Yeah I guess" he conceded.

"Plus there is no point to tell the others either as Andre didn't really say anything that we didn't already know." I added but in fact I just didn't want Mark to open it and tell to everyone how dealing with the ghosts could be dangerous for someone like us or I would never hear the end of it.

"Okay we'll keep it to ourselves until he comes up with essential info." Said Adrian and I just noticed now that he still had his arm wrapped possessively around my shoulders as we walked back in the Academy.

For once I didn't even bother to shrug it off as I didn't care of what people could think about him and me. In another scenario, if I did manage to take down Dimitri, I would probably be dating Adrian or at least seriously considering the option so…If people wanted to think it was the case than so be it.

The next few days were pretty extreme, as we had to organize everything while starting to take our final exams.

Abe phoned me a couple of time in order to find out how the plan was advancing. We decided that it would be Pavel, one of the secret service agent (passing for one of Abe guardian), Victor and me who would go retrieve Robert from Norway a few days before graduation. We would actually go as soon as we "broke" Victor out of jail before he could even get the chance to figure out that it was just a set up.

I also asked Abe to see with the alchemist if they had any kind of potions that could help with the war ahead. He didn't sound too pleased to involve the, and I quote, 'crazy religious bigots' in our plan but he agreed.

I didn't want Lissa to get involved too much either, and even if I could feel the huge disapproval coming from her, I kept her involvement to a strict minimum.

We were all confined in Adrian's bedroom where we had charts, blue prints and photos. I even surprised myself to think of us like the team of Ocean's Eleven except that we were now 7 standing in that room and not specialists but I guessed that neither Brad nor George could control fire, compel people or talk to ghosts.

"So we have the trip to Norway, the return to the academy" I said as we decided to keep Victor and Robert here since we had no way to stop Dimitri from attacking anyways. Well, it was our plan, at least for now, maybe it would be possible to make him track me down somewhere else but right now we didn't know how that could be done.

"Now we need to figure something out to keep up the pretense for the prison evasion." Said Christian looking at the prison blueprints. "I mean… he is not an idiot."

"I know that…" I said biting my bottom lip looking at the big chart we had on the wall. "Plus we need to pass the guardians anyways. Only the high judicial council and the Queen know about our plan right?." I asked looking at Adrian for confirmation. He nodded.

"So compulsion is needed isn't it?" Asked Lissa and I could feel her excitation increasing. "You'll need someone very good at compulsion."

"Well if it's a human prison almost any Moroi would do" said Eddie with a slight shrug.

"Well not really" I said reluctantly as I didn't want to give arguments toward Lissa's option. "Victor is very bright. Firstly I'll need to trust someone greatly to tell him/her my plan and well… I do have some serious trust issue."

Saying that made Christian snort with approval it was like a not so concealed 'no-shit?!!' and I shot him my death glare making the others laugh.

"Plus that Moroi need to be close enough to me to risk his future and maybe get a lifetime in jail just to help me." I said thoughtfully.

"And who is better than your best friend?!" asked Lissa literally marveling now. She wanted first line…she was just as stupid as I was!!

"Well the guy who is in love with her." Answered Oksana matter-of-factly pointing to Adrian. "Usually it's the people in love who are doing the stupidest most radical things."

We all looked at Oksana agape. Lissa wanted to hit her for mentioning that other option.

"What?!" Asked Oksana looking from one to another "Please don't tell me it was a secret I mean…it's so obvious to me!! You didn't know?" she asked with worry in her voice.

Christian snorted again. "Believe me no secrets here" he said shaking his head. "It's almost as widely known as the fact that oxygen is essential for us to breath."

"And that Christian is a sarcastic smart mouth that can't shut it." I added feeling embarrassed for Adrian but he actually didn't seem embarrassed at all. He was looking around in a 'yeah-what-else-is-new' kind of way.

"That's actually not a bad idea" said Adrian raising an eyebrow. "I'm a spirit user, I'm sort of cocky enough to think we can pull it off and…and well what she said" he added pointing to Oksana.

I heard Lissa mutter a small cursed under her breath making me laugh.

"You'll play your part Liss you know that right." I said like I was talking to a child. "You remember what we talked about? I need you to help but from a secure spot. I need to concentrate on the task ahead only, and I will not be able to do that if you're not safe"

"I know…I know" she said with resignation.

"Ok good so let get over this again" I said taking a deep breath. "Eddie, Adrian and me will go to the jail to retrieve Victor." They nodded. "Then we split Adrian and Eddie go back to the academy as Victor, Guard X and me jump into Abe jet where Pavel will be waiting and go straight to Norway."

"While we get ready here for whatever war is preparing" said Christian with his mischievous smile while showing the steady flame resting in the palm of his hand.

"You read my mind buddy." I said with a grin. "But maybe…maybe" I concentrate on Lissa and her excitation level increased again. She knew I was about to give her a mission.

"Yes?" tried Lissa encouraging.

"Well the youngsters are released about a week before graduation anyways right?" I asked rhetorically. "What if you could slightly persuade Kirova to let them go like even a week before that. So…whenever he attacks, if it get to this of course," it will go to this I added to myself. "Well we'll have fewer casualties to worry about."

"I can try" said Lissa not really convinced but she was ready to everything.

"And then --" I was cut off by my ringing phone. I frowned answering it as I just talked to Abe about an hour before.

"Hello?" I said warily.

"Hello evil creature of the night."

I burst into laugher attracting 6 pairs of curious eyes on me. "Hey my favorite crazy bigot. How are you doing?"

"Well…I've got my next mission" said Sydney darkly. "I need you to pick me up from the airport tomorrow."

"Yeah??" I asked curiously "and what is it?"

"Assisting you and the other creatures with potions and other tricks" she said but I could hear she was only mildly displeased.

"You missed me eh?" I asked and I saw jealousy in Adrian's eyes even if he was doing his best to hide it.

"So you'll come pick me up or not?" she asked purposively avoiding the question.

"Of course! What time?"

"3pm at Missoula's airport."

"See you tomorrow" I said actually pleased to have an alchemist on our side

"Bye Rose." She said and hanged up before I even had a chance to say bye.

"So...who was it?" Asked Christian. He was the only one brave enough to ask.

"Backup" I replied with a wink.