Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy, so usual disclaimers.
RPOV (1:00 pm)
I woke to a violent shaking, it felt like there was an earthquake going on. I opened my eyes and recognised it to be one of the rooms of the infirmary. I was confused because I still felt the shaking but the room seemed unaffected. It was then that I realized it was my body that was shaking. I was so cold, I felt like I had been lying on ice for a extensive amount of time.
"Rose," someone said. I looked around and spotted Dr Olendzki walking in the doorway. "How do you feel?" She came to my bedside and adjusted the thick blanket around me. I guess my trembling dislodged it.
"I feeelll liiiikkke craaap," I replied through chattering teeth. She picked up the controls for the electric blanket that covered me and moved the dial up.
"You've gone down with mild hyperthermia Hun. Alberta tells me that you spent the night in that cold rain. We got you warmed up but you may notice a bit of an overreaction to getting chilled, it shouldn't last more than a week or so." Dr Olendzki told me. Great now I'm going to be shivering all the time.
"Princess Vasilisa came by a couple times but you were still sleeping, she will probably come by after school lets out again."
"How long have I been as sleep for?" I wondered. Did they even try to wake me up and let me sleep it off in my own bed? My body still trembled but it was getting better, at least I was able to speak more clearly.
"I know you don't like being here but it was necessary to monitor you while you recovered."
"How long?" I interrupted getting impatient.
"A day and a half roughly," She muttered. WHAT! Day and a half, I was out. Did that include the time on the roof?
"Um when you say a day and a half? Is that just here or do you mean it was a day and a half including my time outside?"
"Well you went missing on us for about eighteen hours. I am not sure how much of that time you were unconscious but the rain started about four hours into that and I am assuming you were already sleep by then. All in all it has been about fifty four hours since your disappearance."
"Really?" I asked, shocked that so much time has passed.
"Yes. Princess Vasilisa wanted to heal you when she came in but I said no, because you were just sleeping by the time she came in. I tried waking you for lunch one time, but you didn't even stir. Lissa said that you must really be exhausted and that your guardian reflexes make you a light sleeper." I nodded.
"Okay, but when can I get out of here, and go back to training?" I asked wanting to take the electric blanket and run.
"It's raining again and won't stop till later tonight. I am keeping you here for observation till after dinner tonight. I will bring your lunch now I want to make sure you eat at least two hot and nutritious meals before leaving. You can go back to your academic classes the day after tomorrow and training in two days. You need to take one of these with lunch or dinner every day and get some rest." She handed me a prescription bottle of pills. I eyed them and she laughed. "Rose, these are just vitamins." Dhampirs rarely ever need medicine for anything other than pain from injuries, I am not in any pain, so I guess I must have given her a strange look. Her expression grew serious again. "Rose, a lot of traumatic things have happened to you this year and you have been under tremendous amount of stress. I am afraid that it is effecting your health. It is going to be very important that you eat a balanced diet, take your vitamins and get enough sleep."
"Oh," was all I said and I took the tablets. "What time is it?" I asked her.
"Well it's the middle of day so about one am, so classes will be finishing soon."
"Thanks." I snuggled deeper into the warm blanket.
"Rose, Alberta wanted me to get her when you woke. She wants to speak to you," Dr Olendzki told me.
"Oh, do you know what about?"
"Sorry no, she didn't say. I'll go and get your lunch and let Alberta know your awake now."
"Ok. Thank you." I responded my mind on what Alberta wanted to speak to me about. Was I going to get in trouble for running off? Did Dimitri change his mind, was he coming back? No, I really doubt he would change his mind, he chose Tasha so he could have a family. I shook my head as if to shake any hope from my heart.
A nurse came in a little later with a tray. I guess I was hungrier than I thought, it felt like my stomach was going to jump right of my belly to get to it faster.
"Here you go, one big bowl of turkey noodle soup and a few rolls of crusty bread but first here is your vitamin." She set the tray on my bet table then handed me a pill and a paper cup of water before leaving me alone. I took my pill and dug into my meal. This was some of the best soup I've ever had. I wonder where they got it, the cafeteria has never served it before.
About ten minutes after I finished my lunch, the door opened and Alberta walked through smiling. I guess that is a good sign that I won't be getting told off.
"Good morning Rose. How are you feeling?" she asked kindly.
"I'm okay Guardian Petrov," she frowned knowing I didn't really call her that.
"Rose, I need to ask you something personal, it is very important that you are completely honest with me. What was going on between you and Dimitri, and don't even think about lying," she said sternly. Crap.
"I ... Er ..." I sighed, "I don't know what to tell you Alberta." I whispered. She obviously knew something was going on. I just don't know how she knew or how she figured it out. I tried to pull a guardian mask up but my face crumpled at the memories and confusion between the way he treated me before and on that night versus the way he was after that.
"Rose, it's okay. You'll get over him in time. Personally I think he's a fool." she smiled sadly.
"Alberta I really don't know what to do, I don't understand where things went wrong. All the plans we made, what do I do now?" I sniffed.
"Rose... Shh it's okay," She pulled me into a hug. "I've always thought of you as a daughter I've watched you grow into an excellent novice, soon you will out shine the rest of us when you graduate. I'm so proud of you, don't let this take over you." She said and hugged me again.
"Thank you, I've always thought of you as a mother figure," I said and we laughed.
"I think I should let you get some rest now, Dr Olendzki warned me that you may need more sleep and I think she is right." She said as she let go of me.
"Um Alberta, weren't we meant to be going shopping for Lissa's party?" I asked frowning.
"Yes, but it's been postponed until you are better, so it will be in a week or two." She replied smiling.
"Oh, okay. Once again thank you Alberta." I said.
"How about you just call me Al, Rose," she said and smiled.
"Sure Al. Bye."
"Bye Rose," then she walked out, hmm very odd. But I ended up smiling anyway.
I closed my eyes and went back to sleep, even though I've just woke up.
LPOV (Seven pm) - before Lissa went to see Rose
My eyes were closed and I was laying still but really I was far from asleep. Several times during the night I tried calling out to Rose through the bond. I know that even if she was safe in her dorm she couldn't reply and I shouldn't be worried but something in me couldn't help but worry about her. I got up when there was a knock at my door, I looked at the time it was an hour before school. I got up and open the door to find Guardian Petrov at my door.
"Morning Guardian Petrov, what do you want?" I asked politely.
"Good morning Princess, I've just come by to tell you that Rose was found last night, and the shopping trip has to be postponed for a few days." She said to me.
"Oh my god, where is she? Is she okay?" I asked frantically, I knew something was wrong.
"We suspect that she was outside in the elements the whole time she was missing. Princess, Rose is in the infirmary at the moment, she's is okay, but she has mild hyperthermia. That's all, she just needs time and rest." She paused with a pensive expression then continued. "But I do have to ask you something."
"Err okay," I asked suspiciously.
"What do you know about Rose and Guardian Belikov relationship?" oh crap. I know they most likely would not want anyone to know. I don't know why the memory I saw seemed to bring her so much pain even though it was at the time so beautiful to her. Whatever Guardian Petrov and Rose were talking about turned the memory from happy to unbearably painful and I don't think Rose will be able to get over this without someone to talk to and though I would hope she would come to me I don't think she would.
"I don't actually know what you mean Guardian Petrov, Rose never talked with me about a relationship with her mentor. When you were talking with Rose yesterday morning, there was a moment when I actually got sucked into her head. I saw something, I'm not sure if it was a real memory but judging by the emotions behind it I am inclined to think it really happened." I replied honestly.
"What did you see?" She asked.
"Guardian Petrov can I talk to you before school starts, because I need to get dressed." I nodded towards the clock.
"Yes, I'm sorry, Princess. Honestly this isn't the best place to talk about such a sensitive subject. I'll come find you and we'll talk. Thank you." She said and walked away. I closed the door and looked at the clock realising I had forty-five minutes to get showered and changed.
I went and had a shower and I kept thinking about what Guardian Belikov said to Rose, "I love you, Roza." He kissed her again. "I'll always be here for you. I'm not going to let anything happen to you." The clincher was the last thing he said. "I promise you that we will find a way. You are my other half I and will never give you up."
I couldn't work out why I hadn't seen this before, or what I couldn't understand is why Rose didn't tell me. I sighed and got changed and went down stairs for breakfast. As soon as I walked into the cafeteria, I saw Eddie and Christian walking towards me.
"Lissa, have they found Rose yet?" Eddie asked. I knew that Eddie thought of Rose as a sister and would do anything to protect her.
"Yes they have. They found her last night. Rose is okay, she's got a mild case of hyperthermia though." I repeated the same thing that Guardian Petrov told me.
"Oh, so she was out in the rain last night?" Christian asked.
"I'm guessing so." Eddie answered. We walked towards the breakfast line I got some toast with butter, and ate it while sitting down.
"Liss, look behind you." Eddie said and I turned. Guardian Petrov was walking towards me.
"I'll see you later Eddie, and Christian I'll see you in class." I kissed Christian on the head and got up.
"Where are you going?" Christian asked, as Eddie frowned.
"I have to talk to Guardian Petrov, about Rose. So I'll see you in class, love you." I said and then walked over to Guardian Petrov.
"Morning again Guardian Petrov," I said when I got there.
"Morning Princess shall we?" And with that we walked away from the lunch room and towards the guardian campus. "So what did you see earlier on when you were in Rose's head?" she asked once we entered her office. The same scene came back again. I sat in the chair she offered me and lost myself to Rose's Memory.
"It happened after Rose saved me from the Măna club but before the Strigoi attacked. They were in the cabin that Tasha stayed in over Christmas. They were cuddling together on the bed. Rose rested her head on Dimitri's bare chest, taking comfort in his warmth. He kissed her forehead and ran his fingers through her hair, and down her back.
"I love you, Roza." He said and kissed her again. "I'll always be here for you. I'm not going to let anything happen to you." He held her so close. She felt so safe and loved in that moment. More than she ever has before.
She never wanted to leave that moment and have to face their real life and all that comes with it. She even told him so. Her exact words were: "I wish we weren't Dhampir. I don't want to leave here. I want to stay here with you in this moment forever. I know it supposed to be wrong to feel this way but…" Then he interrupted her.
"Shh, Roza, I promise you that we will find a way. You are my other half I and will never give you up." He said.
I sighed knowing I was going to have to tell her the whole truth. I don't want Rose to get in trouble but if Alberta is going to help her then she will need to know.
"There is a reason why this is such an intense memory but… well I'm not sure if I should say."
"And what would that be Princess?"
"It is because… " I bit me lip and looked away still unsure if I should reveal Rose's secret.
"Because?" she prompted. Damn she was going to get this out of me.
"Because they had sex." I said it quickly. But I think she got it, she gasped and muttered something.
"Are you sure, Princess?" I sighed.
"Yes, I think it was the first time. In her memory she was…sore." I mumbled, sure of the beet red colour of my face.
"Princess thanks for your help, you must go to class. I'm afraid I have already made you late." She led me to the door but stopped, pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and wrote on it then handed it to me.
"Hand this to you teacher." She looked very upset. I hope that I she isn't mad at Rose.
I got to my lesson only fifteen minutes late. I sat down and Christian looked at me. I smiled.
"What was that about?" he mouthed to me.
"I'll talk about it later, okay?" I mouthed back, he nodded and paid attention to the teacher.
The day passed and nothing happened, I told Christian I think it would be best that I would need to speak to Rose about this first since it was regarding her personal business. He agreed and he let it go.
I tried to visit Rose a few times but she was always asleep. Dr Olendzki caught me trying to heal her and she stopped me. She told me that Rose was only sleeping and that I should let her heal naturally. After lunch on the second day I saw Rose walking to the Dhampir dorms.
"Rose, wait there!"I told her through the bond as I ran up to her and hugged her.
"Rose, how are you?" I asked her still worried.
"I'm okay. I just got cold, that's all." She said and smiled.
"Hypothermia isn't getting a little cold and I'm not on about that Rose." she looked confused.
"Rose, I'm talking about Guardian Belikov." Soon as I said his name I saw tears in her eyes. "Hey don't cry." I said as I pulled her into a hug.
"Sorry." She mumbled into my neck.
"What in earth are you sorry for?" I said now angry.
"For not telling you about it." she muttered.
"Rose, I'm okay with it, I'm sure you had your reasons." she nodded against my neck.
"I'm going to ask if I can stay with you till curfew, so I can talk to you," she pulled back, and was about to protest. "No, I'm staying with you Rose, and that's that," she smiled a bit. "I'm just going to go and tell Guardian Petrov where I'm going to be, I'll meet you up in your room in ten minutes." I knew that if anyone would understand the need got girl time it would be Guardian Petrov.
"Okay, see you soon Liss." And with that she walked off towards her dorm.
I saw Guardian Petrov walking around the lunch room and I walked up to her.
"Guardian Petrov, would it be alright if I stay with Rose tonight, so we can talk. Please." I asked.
"Sure Princess, I let your dorm matron know where you are. Also can you tell Rose I would like to speak to her at some point, so I'll drop by near curfew?" She replied, and smiled.
"Thank you Guardian Petrov." I told her and walked off. As I was walking I heard someone shout my name.
"Lissa," I turned towards the voice, Christian and Eddie were jogging up to me.
"Where are you going? I was wondering if you want to watch another movie before curfew." Christian said.
"I would love to, but I'm spending time with Rose, we're spending some time together." Christian and Eddie frowned. "She's okay, we're just going to be talking. I'll see you later. Love you."
"Love you to Liss." Christian kissed me and then walked off, I heard Eddie talking to Christian.
"How come she gets to get out of classes for girly talk?" Eddie complained.
"I didn't know you were jealous Eddie?" Christian replied. "I thought you were a guy," he said and laughed. "Ow, why'd you punch me?" and I just laughed and carried on walking up to Roses' room.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
So that was another long chapter. Can you see the changes?
Keep reading and let us know what you think?
Please review :-) Makes me happy :D
Vickie-Louise
