I'm sorry, it's late, and not as long as I hoped, but I spent all day writing it. I'm trying really hard to improve my writing, and make it a bit more detailed, as well as improve my writing technique. I would love to hear what you think!

Did I go overboard? Is it too detailed? Does it get boring?

PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

Disclaimer: Me: BOO! I'm back!

Every freaking person in the Vampire Academy Series: AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH! IKOHAJDSFHJEFJDFHJH RUUUUNNNNN AAWWWWAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!

Me: You know you love me ;)

Rose (as she runs away): XxDeadlyBlackRosexX does not own us! WHY DOES SHE KEEP COMING BACK?

Me: You know you love me ;)

Previously...

Adrenalin pumped in my blood, and I'd never run so fast in my life. My heart raced in fear and dread. I sweated from every inch of my body. My senses were on high alert. My stomach churned and fluttered.

I could only hope that Dimitri would keep my son safe.

I think this was karma slapping me in my face. And I should know, because karma does that to me a lot. I do something bad and 'BAM!' there's a red patch on my cheek. Usually I don't mind because, well, I'm Rose Hathaway, and I always get back up- usually retaliating with one of my infamous punches- but at the moment I felt like the bitch had me in a headlock.

Run faster, God damn it!

Thoughts swirled around my head so fast that I felt a migraine coming on, a migraine so strong I felt like screaming. It ached and burned, a feeling that spread right throughout my body as the entrance to the outdoor pool came closer and closer- and yet was still so far away.

Stupid Rose, you horrible, horrible mother!

I shouldn't have left him alone. I knew he couldn't swim! I knew he couldn't swim and yet I distracted the person that was supposed to be looking after him!

Tasha was running by my side, never once stopping to take a breath even though I could see the physical pain she was going through. She was gasping for air and stumbling but she never once stopped. I knew I should probably stop to help her, the poor girl was obviously struggling to keep up, but when I thought of my baby I just ran faster. Images flashed in my mind of Michael drowning, splashing so desperately that my heart sank. Water swarmed everywhere but there was nothing I could do, he just sank further and further down.

But then I arrived at the pool, and for the first time since I heard the news, I came to a complete stop.

Aisley; my beautiful girl, was balling her eyes out, clutching so desperately to her brothers body. Her hair sticking to all sorts of places, her little nose scrunched up the way she always does when she cries. She was rocking back and forth, clutching Michael's head to her chest. Big, strong, comforting arms held both of them, wrapping them up in the love they so desperately needed at that moment. Dimitri held them both closely to himself, whispering reassuring words and keeping them warm and drying them off, even though I could see that he was just as cold and wet. My heart was bursting with love for him at that moment, and tears flooded my eyes at the scene.

I ran- no, sprinted over to the three best things in my life. I collapsed onto my knees, sobbing. Aisley looked up at my presence, as did Dimitri. Aisley cried even more and tried to reach for me but Michael held her back, thinking she was leaving him. Dimitri understood this and reached forward, gently pulling Michael off Aisley so she could come to me.

As she fell into my lap, and Michael into Dimitri's, we both mumbled sweet words into the children's ears. Aisley shivered, so I held her closer, but I could no longer stand to be so far away from the child I almost lost. He was only a few feet away, and was safely in the arms of Dimtri, but I needed him closer.

Holding Aisley with my left arm, clutching her to me, I reached for Michael with my other hand. He seemed hesitant at first, like he wasn't sure who I was, but when I brushed away a stray piece of his beautiful dark hair he fell onto me. I was expecting it and caught him, pulling him to me, holding him and his sister so close I could feel their breaths on my skin.

Dimitri stroked the top of Michael's lovingly before leaving and quickly returning with three towels; one for himself, which he had wrapped around his shoulders, and two more for the kids.

Aisley had calmed down, so when Dimitri returned she stood up and walked to him, taking a towel and wrapping it around herself, reaching up to take his hand. Then Dimitri passed me a towel, which I wrapped around my son. He stopped shivering immediately, with the help from the towel and my own body warmth.

We were sitting on the floor of the pool area, just on the edge of the pool, so I stood up, lifting Michael with me and moving over to the seating area. People moved out of the way instantly, making room for us, which I was so thankful for. I sat down and made sure that Michael was comfortable.

I remember the last time I held him like this. It was a year ago and he had been waiting out the front for Jesse to pick him up, with his little teddy bear in his hand and back-pack on his back. He sat on the curb, his eye brightening every time a car went past, before slowly dimming.

I watched by the front door, a frown on my face.

Aisley was too young to get upset, she was just happy to be outside, playing on the grass. She had her little Barbie dolls, half of them were broken, but she didn't care.

Michael waited for an hour. A whole hour; and Jesse never came. By the time the hour was up I was sitting next to Michael on the curb, clutching him to my chest as he cried his little eyes out.

I didn't see him cry that hard for a long time after because he built up a protective wall. At eight years old, my son had a barrier over his heart. I was pissed, so very angry, and I marched right up to Jesse to give him a piece of my mind. You never want to mess with an angry mother, especially a Hathaway, but Jesse took the risk and won. He threatened to take the kids away from me, so I had to back down. We only speak over the phone if we need to.

I kissed the top of his head, mumbling how much I love him over and over.

"I was so scared, mum. So, so scared." Michael whispered, pain in his voice.

I couldn't imagine what he went through, and it pained me to try. But all I think of was how thankful I was that he was here; safe, because I really couldn't handle if something worse had happened.

A man I didn't know came up to me, he was wearing a uniform so I trusted him, but at the moment the protective mother was coming out of me. I was a lioness protecting her cubs, ready to pounce at the first threat, my fight or flight instinct kicking in.

"I'm sorry, Miss, but we'll have to take the boy to get him checked. We have to make sure he isn't injured."

He looked kind, and seemed genuine. You could see in his eyes that he was caring and only wanted to help, but the thought of letting Michael go, to a stranger no less, was horrifying. Michael seemed to think so too, because he clung to me with such fierceness that it shocked me.

I slowly set him down, but he refused to stand, keeping his knees to his chest, arms wrapped around my neck. I didn't want to let him go either, but he had to be examined for injury.

I looked up, searching for Dimitri. He was talking to Tasha, who looked very worried. She had her hand on his cheek as he spoke.

The way he looked at her...it broke my heart.

But I had other problems at the moment. As I held Michael, who was having his own little tantrum, I tried to get Dimitri's attention. It didn't take long because he seemed to sense my stare and immediately came over, leaving Tasha in mid-speech.

He brought Aisley with him, holding her hand. He kneeled down in front of Michael, trying to calm him down. My poor son was freaking out; he was so afraid that I would leave him that he was throwing the first tantrum he's had in months. His breathing was quick, he was kicking his feet, and crying and my heart was breaking for him.

I should be a better mother. I'm as bad as my own.

Dimitri grabbed on to Michael and turned him so they were facing each other. Michael stopped kicking and thrashing, now only letting out a few bubbles of sobs and a handful of tears. His eyes were bloodshot, and he was still trembling with worry.

"Your sister is never leaving you. I am never leaving you. Your mother is never leaving you. You will not be alone. You are loved Michael, and we aren't going anywhere." Dimitri said it with such passion and love that it r=brought tears to my eyes, which seemed to be happening a lot lately.

Michael let out another sob before throwing himself into Dimitri's open arms holding him like he would me.

I laughed happily causing to Dimitri to glance up at me, smiling one of those rare ones he has. One where he makes everyone around him feel special, important. I felt like that now.

I gently touched Michael's arm, and he turned to face me. I wiped away some of the tears lingering on his cheeks before kissing his cheek.

"You're so strong Michael; I know that, because even though your last name is Zeklos, you are a Hathaway through and through. You're strong, but you don't always need to be. I'm still learning this myself," I glanced at Dimitri, knowing he had tried showing me that for years, as did Lissa, "but it's true, you can let people in. And I want you to do that Michael, you are not invincible. You still need your mummy!" I pinched his cheeks when I said that, and he let out the most adorable little giggle.

Dimitri picked Aisley up off the seat next to me and told her to take her brother with the man, who would then take them to the medical room where they had all the equipment.

Aisley grabbed her older brother's hand and dragged him along, chatting merrily, trying to cheer him up. I smiled.

Dimitri sat next to me, leaning against the bag and sighing. We sat like that for a few minutes, until he said something I really wasn't expecting.

"He called me 'Dad'."

My eyes doubled in size, and I turned to face Dimitri. He took my hand, grinning like a fool.

"Rose, Michael called me 'Dad'."

Aww! Micheal called Dimitri dad! What do you think about that?

Again, sorry it's not very long. But I'm starting the next chapter now!

I hope you guys liked this chapter! I really wanted to portray Michael's feelings, and what he is going through. I think I forget that he is only eight years old, because he acts so mature all the time, so I decided to make him show his age.

You guys seemed worried about Michael, which made me happy, because that was what I was trying to accomplish!

Oh! And before I forget, I wanted to mention that I'm thinking of starting another story! It won't be uploaded until I finish this one, but I will be working on it during any free time I get!

I'm also thinking of making a competition that you guys can enter? What kind of competition would you like? I'm thinking of making it as a celebration of the completion of this story! Because, no joke, this story is almost 2 years old, and there is only 17 chapters. It's ridiculous, but true.

So what do you think?

PLEASE REVIEW!

(And sorry for the long authors note!)