Chapter 3: Women that think twice
Rating: K+ to T. (Suggestive material, mild swearing)
Setting: Adrian's apartment.
Characters: Dimitri, Adrian + bit of Rose.

Thank god I knew how to cook; otherwise I was sure we would've starved to death.

I made lasagne, Rose's favourite, and had it ready for the ravenous Adrian in under an hour. Bringing out the food, I handed Adrian his and sat down beside him on the couch. He was completely at ease, watching some game of football and thanking me quietly as I passed him a set of cutlery; his eyes glued to the television.

"Who's playing?" I asked him, getting comfortable.

"Ah, it's just college football." When I looked at him confusedly, he just shook his head and laughed. "It's taped; I managed to get one of my lady friends to video a game for me. She happily complied." He winked. I laughed.

"Always the ladies' man, Ivashkov." This wasn't going as badly as I thought it would.

"Damn straight. Man, this is good." He gestured to the lasagne. I just laughed and took a forkful.

It wasn't long before I got into the game and we were both jumping up from the seat and yelling obscenities at the referee.

Then I got a phone call. Pulling it out, Rose's face flashed across the screen. Adrian saw it and sat quietly. I sighed, walked from the room and hit the talk button.

"Roza?"

"Oh Dimitri!" Her voice was distressed and shaky, something was wrong.

"Rose! Rosemarie, what's wrong? What's happening?" I surprised myself when I used her full name, but she hadn't heard me the first time since she was hyperventilating on the other end of the phone.

She sniffed back her tears. "Comrade, a Strigoi almost took me today. I- there were a whole group of them, I took down a few but this one guy was coming straight for me, as if I was the one they were after. He managed to get through the other guardians and I was fighting another when he came from behind and knocked me over. He rolled on top and was saying stuff that I couldn't hear. He had this… this smile on his face, as if he knew he was going to die but… Oh I don't know. Jesus, why the hell am I getting so worked up over this? It happens all the time. I must've just wanted to hear your voice."

I almost cried with relief. She wasn't in immediate danger; still, someone had hurt her badly. That, I wasn't okay with.

"Oh Roza, I miss you already. Did he hurt you at all? Did he say anything offensive?"

I was at St. Vladimir's with Rose for a week after we brought her and Vasilisa back when I started to hear the chatter. The rumours about Rose were astounding, people saying that she'd been doing un- appropriate things with boys for years prior to her coming back to St. Vladimir's. I never once believe any of it, even after a week of knowing her; I knew she wasn't the girl they made her out to be. The girl I fell in love with was faithful, she didn't just give herself to anyone. She said I was her first and I believed her. I've always just hoped that I earned it, that my love for her was strong enough to make up for the virtue that I took from her.

Bringing myself back to the conversation with Rose, she was answering me now.

"No, well I mean, I'm not so sure. I wasn't really listening to what he was saying before I staked him. No injuries except for a few cuts and bruises, the usual." She laughed weakly, a lame attempt at making a joke. I could tell she wanted to change the subject.

"Thank god. Well, I'm in Palm Springs now. Abe got on the jet with me, Sonya and the young drifter we met. Remember Angeline? She's going to take over Sydney as Jill's roommate, they are the same age and Angeline seems to have sufficient training to assist Eddie when any danger appears. I think the Moroi just want her to have a friend. I'm sure Eddie isn't very approachable right now and from what Adrian's told me, Sydney's still the superstitious little Alchemist that she's always been. She doesn't much like magic, goes against their beliefs apparently." Rose laughed.

"Yes, she hates it. I wonder how Jill faired what with her water element. She can't be going well if the Alchemist's have restricted her from water using. She has a feeder, right?"

I didn't know. "They must have one on hand for her and Adrian. Hang on, I'll ask him now…" Shit. I hadn't told her I was staying with him.

She gasped. "Is he there? How is he?"

"Relax, Roza. I'm sorry I forgot to mention that Abe has me living in Adrian's apartment with him. And he's actually absolutely fine with me here, he said, and I quote, 'I just want her to be happy.' I made lasagne for dinner and we're in the middle of watching a very edgy game of football."

She exhaled. "Oh thank god, he really said that though? Do you think he's a little more okay with us, then? He's not wallowing in his sorrows, filled to the brim on alcohol anymore?"

"No, he says he's been sober for a while now. It affects Jill too, so he's been extra careful."

"Oh that's a good sign. Comrade, the Queen has just 'summoned' me to her 'quarters.'" She laughed a little then sighed. "I have to go; thank you for talking to me. I'll call you soon okay?"

I smiled. "Please do. Goodbye, Roza…"

"And Dimitri? I love you too, never forget it." With that, she hung up. I smiled wider; she'd gotten the text message.

Sighing, I tucked my phone back into my pocket and walked back out to the lounge.

Adrian was still watching the football, when he heard my approach he looked up. "Rose okay? You seemed pretty worried at first there."

"She's fine. Did you hear it?" Not something I would've liked to share.

"No, but you were pretty loud when you tried to get her attention. Just wondering if she was okay, is all." He seemed genuinely concerned and I trusted him that he wouldn't eavesdrop.

I nodded. "She just had a little Strigoi trouble today, nothing much. Oh hey, the game's ended. Who won?" He gave me the scores as I sat down. Home beat the visitors by a mile. That wasn't what was on my mind though.

"Adrian, how are you doing, women wise?" I was scared to ask him, fearing he might crack. But to my complete and utter surprise, he laughed.

"You mean dating? Well there is someone, but she thinks I'm disgusting. She'd never lower herself to even consider me. It's not how she was raised, like, at all." There was sadness in his eyes now, and the grin faded from his face.

"What woman wouldn't want to have a fling with the almighty Adrian Ivashkov?" I chuckled in an attempt to lighten his mood, but was curious as to who this woman might be.

He smiled briefly, a sad, knowing smile. "Well, there actually are women out there who would think twice-this one being the tippy top of that group of females." I could tell he was torn up about this, and I was confused as to what sort of person had the power to bring out such an emotion in him. Rose was the only other one that I knew of, and since he seemed to be getting over her and all, I didn't want him to feel the same again.

I decided not to push for any more details, not wanting to make him feel any worse that he did.

So I stood from the lounge, picked up another DVD case from the table and slid it into the player.

I turned to Adrian. "How about another game of footy, man?"

See, this is my ideal Dimitri. A sensitive, beautiful, *sigh* … wonderful man. (Insert womanly descriptive hand motions here)
;) Hope you enjoyed, review me what you think, I really appreciate it.
If any beta readers are reading this and would like to beta it, please let me know! I'd love to have a beta to consult with, I kinda feel alone here writing this story without anyone to talk to about it. If I need any help with punctuation, grammar, spelling etc. Tis why I need a beta! Desperately! ;)
Thanks for reading! (:
xoxo,

Isabella. (Haha totally picture that like the way they say it in Gossip Girl… Sounds hilarious)