Sorry it's taken so long to update! I was back in my hometown after exams to visit family before coming back to work for the summer. Should update more often now.

People were asking for more "Dimitri" so I added some from his POV.

Enjoy!

I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS, NOR THE BACKSTORY – ONLY THE PLOT

All Novice Guardian disciplinary issues at St. Vladimir's usually went through a council which included a number of instructors as well as the Captain, Alberta Petrov. Even with my frequent violation of rules, I had never been inside Alberta's office – all the one-on-one lecturing I had been through happened in Headmistress Kirova's office.

Lissa gave me a quick, but supportive, hug and left to help Dr. Olendzki in the infirmary. Turning towards the large wooden door, I knocked loudly. At first there was no answer, and I thought that maybe she was still with my mother, but after a few seconds a Guardian opened the door and let me in.

Her office looked a lot like Kirova's, but had a homier feel to it. A few pictures and a computer sat on a big wooden desk in the middle of the room. Behind the desk was a large open window that overlooked the outdoor training grounds; the window in Kirova's office overlooked the courtyard on the opposite side of the building. Along the side walls were shelves of little ornaments that looked to be from every corner of the globe. Below them on each side were two large green couches, and in front of the desk four matching chairs sat in a semicircle. It occurred to me that a lot of daily Guardian business and meetings probably occurred here, away from eyes of Novices.

Alberta stood looking out the window, and seemed to be deep in thought. The Guardian who had let me in muffled a cough, obviously trying to get her attention.

"I heard her knock Emil, you may leave. Go help Stan and Yuri downstairs with the students. Rose and I need to talk, alone." She ordered, eyes not leaving whatever she stared at in the distance. It was night now, morning in vampire terms, but the Morori DNA in Dhampirs gave us pretty good night vision. Only when I heard the door behind me close did she turn to face me. Without a word she motioned for me to sit in one of the chairs in front of the desk. Rather than sitting in her chair behind her desk, she walked around and sat beside me.

"Rose, I don't want you to lie to me. I Know." She placed a hand on my shoulder affectionately. I have never seen this soft side of Alberta. She was a strong and pretty bad-ass Guardian, even in my books, and sometimes seemed to care about nothing except rules and Morori safety. So naturally, her expressing this softer side surprised me. "In fact, I've known for a while now…"

This surprised me even more. "But, we kept it hidden! How did you-"

Alberta chuckled under her breath, "Do you really think that just because I'm one of the only female Guardians on campus that I would lose my feminine instincts? Besides, I'm old; I can see changes in people."

"Changes?" I looked up at her. She didn't look that old to me – another advantage of having half human and half Morori DNA. We looked like regular humans, but had good immune systems and lived longer because of it. She looked in her early to mid 40's – but that probably meant that she was actually in her late 50's.

"You. Dimitri. You have both changed since you and Princess Vasilisa's return to the Academy. You matured, actually learned some restrain and control, and sit at the top of your class even after missing two whole years of training. He… well he talks more, smiles more, and seems… happier. You brought that change in him Rose, just as he brought out the change in you. I was never sure if it was just the mentoring or not, but now I know that it is something more." Her compassionate face shifted slightly, showing her business side, "I don't want to lecture you Rosemarie. After seeing you fight during the attack I have no doubt that you will be a great and mature Guardian once you graduate."

"If I graduate…" I muttered, lowering my eyes to where my hands fumbled in my lap. I had never felt vulnerable or scared around Alberta before, but under the circumstances, I didn't beat myself up over my sudden weakness. She stood up and walked back towards the window, still intrigued with the landscape as if she had just arrived from a place far away.

"You will. Well, I hope you will."

"You're not going to expel me?" I jumped up. She quickly turned towards me again and leaned against the window, crossing her arms. Her soft side had completely disappeared, she was all business now.

"Well, that depends…"

My head pounded, and my ribs hurt like hell. It took a lot of effort to even open my eyes, the bright lights of the infirmary blinding me. When I finally regained my vision, I noticed I wasn't alone in the small private room.

"You're awake?" The Princess Vasilisa jumped up from an uncomfortable chair in the corner and made her way to the side of my bed. I immediately asked the one question on my mind.

"Rose – is she… where is she?" I tried to push myself into a sitting position but my ribs protested and I shrunk back down in pain. Without hesitation Vasilisa reached out and laid a hand on my chest. I felt a tingle through my body, and the sharp pain faded instantly.

"I was going to heal you before you woke up, but I wasn't sure how much pain you were in." She let out a small sigh. She looked exhausted, and my guess was that she had healed a lot of people recently. "Rose… is with Guardian Petrov last I heard."

"Alberta? Is she debriefing already?" I questioned. The Princess shifted her eyes, looking uncomfortable. "What do you know that I don't?" I demanded.

She looked up to look me in the eye, but a flush spread over her pale skin and she returned her gaze to the floor. "It's not that I know something you don't… it's that a lot of people, including me, now know something that they shouldn't have become aware of."

"Princess – "

"Lissa."

"Lissa, what are you talking about? Did they discover something in the caves?" I was going to ask what happened back in the caves, as I didn't remember much after the one pinned me down, but figured she wouldn't know the details. She wasn't there.

Before she could answer, we were interrupted by the opening of the door. Both of us looked up to see Dr. Olendzki enter, immersed in a chart she was holding. "Glad to see you're finally awake Dimitri." She said, still reading the chart. Looking up she looked at Lissa surprised. "Oh Vasilisa. I didn't know you were in here."

"I was just making sure Guardian Belikov wasn't in to much pain. I'm leaving now." She said, glancing back at me as she left me alone with the Doctor.

"So, what's my condition Barbara?" I asked. I wanted to be out of here soon, and go find Rose.

"You're fine for now. You had two broken ribs but the fact that you're sitting up without gasping for air means the Princess already took care of those for you." She double checked the chart a few times before looking at me.

"For now? That sounds unnerving."

Barbara laughed but quickly turned serious. "Kirova is going to have a field day with you."

"Why? What happened back at the caves?" I demanded. The doctor quickly briefed me on what had happened. Rose running back, more Strigoi emerging from deeper in the cave.

"They made it back just in time." She paused before continuing. "Janine wasn't to pleased with her daughter for running back."

"She should have left me… it was too dangerous." I muttered. Rose had done some stupid stuff in her lifetime, but this was just crazy. She risked her life, her beautiful life, for mine. I felt guilty, but relieved she was ok and that we hadn't lost each other.

"Janine demanded Rose explain why she ran back." She continued, "And Rose did. She explained everything Dimitri. Everything."

Hope you enjoyed! Please write me a review? They make me happy & encourage me to write faster!

Next chapter we see what trouble our favorite couple get into at the academy!