a/n: My apologies for the delay in posting. My brother and his family were up all last week, so I spent my week out to camp. Back to regular posting now…Saturdays or Sundays unless I am dying to find out what happens in the next chapter and have to write it immediately! LOL

Also, for those who are reading my two shot (or possible three shot) 'Captured,' I'm hoping to post the next part within the next few days.

Thank you all so much for the reviews for last chapter. :)

"Come in," Rose called from her spot on the bed.

There was a small creaking noise as her door opened, and then Lissa spoke. "We're leaving," she told her friend. "Are you going to be OK?"

"Of course," Rose said as she rolled away from the window. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Lissa shrugged. "No reason. Do you want us to bring anything back for you? A pizza, maybe?"

"I'll be fine," Rose assured her friend.

"OK," Lissa said doubtfully. "I'll see you later."

Rose rolled back toward the window without responding. The sound of her bedroom door closing—though far from a slam—jarred her. She hadn't been alone while it was dark outside since last Saturday night, and she was more anxious than she wanted to admit. She sighed as she watched the thick, white snowflakes fall, but that only lasted for a few minutes before she sat up and turned on her lamp. It was best to light it now before night fell.

The sound of her stomach growling reminded her that she hadn't eaten since breakfast. Rose threw back the covers and stood, then pulled her comforter back up in a haphazardly manner. She groaned loudly as she stretched, then headed out into the kitchen to search for something to eat. She wiped the sleep from her eyes as she stumbled out into the living room with a yawn.

"I can't imagine why you'd be tired."

Rose's hand flew to her chest, and she gasped. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"You have been sleeping in in the mornings," Dimitri went on, never looking up from the papers in his lap.

"Not on Tuesdays and Thursdays," Rose told him. "But then, I'm not in any danger of being cornered after class by a professor who wants to clear up a misunderstanding."

"I'd hardly say I cornered you," he argued, clearly unapologetic. "You needed to know that I didn't regret sleeping with you, Roza. Now you do."

Rose glared at him. "The only thing I know is that you feel bad because of what happened to me, and telling me that I wasn't a mistake eases your conscience."

"You're right," he said, standing up and following her into the kitchen. "It does ease my conscience. Because you know the truth now."

"I only know what you told me," Rose corrected as she opened the freezer and began to poke around. "I haven't decided yet if it's the truth."

Dimitri walked over, pulled her gently away from the freezer, and closed the door. "I have a chicken pot pie in the oven," he told her softly.

"I don't like chicken pot pie," she lied as she opened the oven and peeked in. As the delicious scent flooded the room, Rose's mouth nearly watered.

"Lissa told me it was your favorite," he said as he leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest

"Sometimes Lissa has a big mouth," Rose said sulkily as she closed the oven door and straightened.

"I don't regret sleeping with you, Rose," Dimitri said decisively.

Rose sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. "Why do you keep saying that?"

"Because you don't believe it. I'm going to keep saying it until you do," he informed her with a shrug.

"You know…you think you can just walk in here, being all sexy, and make everything all better," Rose said angrily. "You think you can save me."

"I think I can help you to at least sleep through the night," he said in a clipped tone.

"Oh, what? By exhausting me with sex?" she shot back.

"Of course not!"

"Right! Because that would be a mistake!" she taunted him.

His face reddened with anger, but Rose didn't care. If there was one person she wasn't afraid of, it was Dimitri. Besides, she hadn't left the house in almost twenty-four hours, and this was the first thing she'd done for fun in days. "Do you have any idea how impossible you are?" he asked heatedly.

"I know," Rose agreed. "Unless you're drunk or horny, I'm incredibly impossible." She nearly grinned when his jaw began to tick. "So…you never answered me. What are you doing here?"

"I'm beginning to wonder that myself," he answered dryly.

Rose lifted her eyebrows. "You could leave," she suggested.

"Yes, I could," he conceded with a nod. "But I think my being here is pissing you off, and suddenly there's nothing I want more than to piss you off." And with that, he strode from the room.

Rose didn't realize her heart was in her throat until he'd assured her he wasn't going anywhere. It made her mad that she felt like she needed him right now. But the thought of being alone was too overwhelming.

Dimitri returned to his spot on the couch and pulled the papers he'd been grading back into his lap. Roza was trying his temper, there was no denying that, but it was better than the cool, calm, collected young woman who'd left his bedroom. The one he'd barely recognized. At least this was a Roza he knew. But that didn't stop him from worrying.

The dark circles beneath her eyes attested to what her roommate had told him: She wasn't sleeping at night. And she was wearing a pair of the baggiest sweatpants he'd ever seen with a hoodie zipped up to her chin. And it was hot as hell in here. Whether she knew it or not, Roza was trying to protect herself. In her own home. That revelation only fueled his anger. And he wanted something more than a desk to take it out on.

"Can you go get me a strawberry shake?" Roza asked as she walked into the room.

Dimitri chuckled. "So you can lock the door behind me? No."

He heard her huff as she sat down beside him. "No one wants you here, you know."

"You're wasting your time, Roza," he informed her distractedly as he shuffled through the papers. "I'm not leaving."

"Are they paying you to babysit me?" she asked sharply.

"I'm not here to babysit you," he told her. "Just to check on you."

Rose's gaze narrowed. "Well, now you have."

Dimitri lifted his head to look at her. "Mr. Ozera tells me you're not sleeping through the night," he said accusingly.

"Mr. Ozera?" Rose repeated in amusement. "You mean Christian?"

Dimitri ran his hand over his face. "Roza…" he started hesitantly, changing the subject. "Did he...I have to know…did he…?" His voice trailed off as he thought about how to pose his question. Luckily, he didn't have to.

Roza shook her head. "He…no, he-he didn't," she told him in a small voice. "I was able to fight him off."

Dimitri let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. And for the first time in five days, he was able to breathe easily.