A/N- Over one hundred reviews! :D Ahhh, I love you guys.

Once again – sorry for the time. Oh, and I've never apologised for any spelling or grammatical errors. I am ALWAYS sorry for them! eeeeek! I do check over my documents a few times before I update, but there is only so much I can do. Besides, would you prefer I check over it and fix as much as possible and update quicker, or spend a long time double-checking and update later? Well, I'd presume the former. If not, however, let me know in a review. :)

Now on to reading! ENJOY!

Previously-

I turned around to look down at a curly auburn haired, bad-ass looking dhampir. She had her hands on her hips and a smirk on her lips. She may have been over half a foot smaller than me, but she certainly managed to hold authority with her body language.

Adrian whispered in my ear from behind me, "I am so sorry..." and ran off. I turned my head to see him bolting back inside the Academy doors. I didn't understand, until she spoke.

"Well, hello there, daughter."

Chapter 8 - Mother

I was totally going to kill Adrian.

He left me to face my mother! After he promised me I would never have to see her again! The one person I couldn't possible hate more in this entire world, even more than I hated Witmoore, stood before me, grinning. Grinning like a fucking fool. Grinning like I wasn't about to punch her face in.

Well, I wanted to punch her face in. More than anything I had ever wanted in my life. I could feel my heart hammering and my face burning red. My fists clenched together so hard, I couldn't have been surprised if my blunt nails drew blood. My teeth hammered together so hard, I thought I was going to push them into the roof of my mouth. But I couldn't do anything. I was still. All the pent up rage and anger that had grown over so many years towards this one tiny woman was building up to exploding point. Yet, I couldn't move or function. If I had any sense of my own body at the time, I would have sworn I would have been shaking.

"Oh, don't be rude. Is this how you want to greet your dear mother?"

That was enough to make me go mad. How dare she? She was not my mother! How dare she even call herself that? I saw red and I wanted nothing more than to punch her nose in. I wanted to make her pay for all the pain she had put me through. A mother does not leave her child in a torture dungeon. A mother does not stand in front of their child teaching them manners, when they are being rude themselves.

A mother is part of their child's life.

She was not a mother. She was not my mother.

So why didn't I punch her? Why didn't I knock her out into oblivion? I was a step away from wanting to kill her. But instead, I turned my shaking body around and ran. I didn't even know where I was running, vaguely aware of my surroundings. I was running into the trees, the forest lining the Academy. Even when I hit trees, and they scrapped along my body, ripping my cardigan, scratching my face, I kept running. I barely even felt them. The fire burning within me made everything invisible, a blurry substitute for the real world.

Eventually, I stopped. I couldn't run anymore. My legs gave out on me and I fell to the floor. I released the pressure in my chest with the loudest scream my voice could muster. It was the kind of scream that made all the birds flutter out of the trees. The scream made me feel a little better, and I was capable of finding my legs, and my mind.

I looked around to find nothing but trees. All the trees were quite tight-packed, and any gap I managed to find only led to more trees. I was literally lost in a forest. Oh, my luck.

I obviously had to find my way back to the Academy, that was a given. Although, considering how horrid my situation was, I was glad for the distraction. Maybe it was a good thing I ran like a crazy person. At least now I could redirect my attention from the anger towards my mother, to finding my way out of the maze.

I stood, turning in circles among circles scanning the area. There was nothing but the same trees, and there was no logical way of determining the way back to the Academy. I suddenly wished I had watched Lost with Florence. She had seen every episode, and although I really only had a vague idea of the show, I presumed it would have had some basic survival tips embedded into the drama.

I could see the sun rising, and I tried to scan my brain for anything I had ever learnt. I knew it rose in a certain direction... maybe it was east? Oh, screw it. Even if I did know which direction the sun rose in, I had no clue what direction the school was in.

I didn't think I had run that far. But, there was a high possibility that I was going to choose a direction that would lead me further away. I mentally slapped myself for moving. If I had stayed still, I could have just turned ninety degrees and be brought back to the Academy. Or, at least my chances that that would have been the correct direction were much higher. There was the possibility that I had ran in crazy zigzag movements to this point, therefore turning back could have been useless. I didn't know.

I didn't know anything.

I didn't know the way back to the Academy. I didn't know – or honestly care – why my mother had abandoned me all those years. I didn't know what was with my horrid dream. I didn't know where Florence was. I didn't know where Witmoore was. I didn't know anything about the stupid bond between Lissa and me.

I didn't know anything.

And if I died today, or soon, from starvation or a random bear attack, I would be left not knowing. I would have never learnt any of the important things that plagued my mind at that moment. I would have never even learnt... love.

Okay, why in the world did the name Dimitri jump into my mind the moment I thought of love? I was infatuated with him. He was attractive – scratch that, hot – and when his barely-there Russian accent laced his words I wanted to melt. But it was infatuation. There was nothing else to it. There couldn't be. He was seven years older, my mentor, and he did not feel anything more than attraction towards me.

Mason should have been in my mind. Kind, sweet, caring Mason. The guy who was clearly crushing on me. He didn't only find me attractive. He wanted to be more than friends, take things to a level the Russian would never consider. He was the one that should spring to mind when I think of love. We hadn't even been on a date yet, so I didn't want to think of being in love with him right now. But the idea, promise, possibility of love should have lingered by his name. But it didn't.

I had to rid my mind of any and all thoughts that didn't lead to a way out. Any time spent on anything else was pointless. I didn't know how long it would take me to get out, so I didn't know if I had the time to waste. What did love matter, if I could be dead any moment?

Well, I was being a little melodramatic. The most likely death situation here would be starvation, and it took days to starve. Not that I liked that idea, but at least I had more time to figure out my escape. Unless this was a Strigoi, or even bear, infested forest – although I highly doubted a school would have been surrounded by monsters... but if the case, I wanted out as fast as I could get.

The possibility of some human-killing monster wandering these very forests – even though I thought it beyond highly unlikely – made me much more inclined to get out as soon as possible. Although it was probably the worst thing I could think of, I simply began walking. Walking back in the direction I felt the surest I had come from. I really hated my chances that I was heading in the wrong direction. But, hello, bears? I was not sticking around to prove or disprove my highly unlikely scenario.

In what felt like forever, but was probably no longer than thirty minutes, I had found a clearing. There before me stood St. Vladimir's Academy. I never thought I could be happier to see the tall, gothic building. Probably looking like I had been mauled by a bear – which in my defence, I totally could have been – I began walking back to my dorm, trying to prepare myself for the million and one scrutinising gazes.

I walked past the empty school halls, taking a moment to pause at the door where I previously saw Lissa and Adrian doing some voo-doo crazy shit. I saw the odd red-headed woman who had poked her freaky head up to the window earlier. The moment I laid my eyes on her, her head perked up in a sharp bird-like motion. The speed of her movement, and the way her eyes glared at me, I was certain she knew I would be there before I even was. I quickly shied away and continued walking.

There were very few people as I walked to the dhampir dorms, but once there, man... I felt like I was a newly discovered fossil under deep examination. It didn't matter where they were, even for the people that stood on the opposite side of the hall, I was still analysed down to every strand on my dishevelled head. I wondered how long I had been missing to raise such suspicion, or if people had heard about my encounter with my mother, or maybe I, simply, looked that chaotic.

Just as I was about to reach my door – completely ready to lose the glares – Dimitri came sulking up to me. He seemed either unaware or unconcerned with every eye on me. "Rose, you are late for training..." he informed me, trailing his last word when he took a look at my appearance. He inspected my condition for a moment longer, before sighing in defeat, "What happened?"

I glared at him. I had just been lost in a forest for God knows how long, and he was asking me as though I had done something like get a detention. He was not worried for me, about why I looked this way. I was just a stupid girl who always got herself in trouble.

I would have yelled at him, but not exactly the smartest thing to do with an audience. "Nothing," I growled, turning to open my door.

"Rose, training," he scowled before I had a chance to open it fully.

I slowly and precisely opened my door and fully walked in; holding the door open – with a grip on the handle as far as my arm would reach. "Belikov, no," I said, before I slammed it shut before him.

I had a feeling he wanted to burst in and yell at me. But the suspicion it would raise to all the onlookers – walking into a minor's room. I figured I would be in for it later though.

I wanted to go and shower – get off all the dirt and rinse the many scratches all over my body. But that would mean facing all those eyes again and I couldn't do it again. I was exhausted, and I didn't have it in me to ignore them all. So I settled for changing into some flannel pyjama pants and a singlet and getting some sleep. My pillow was still gone, so I scrunched up some of my doona and place it beneath my head. I went into a dreamless sleep, putting off all the inevitable conversations until my wake.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

It didn't feel like I had slept for long when there was a gentle knock at my door. I couldn't be bothered, so I grumbled and snuggled closer into my substitute pillow, hoping they would go away. They were determined though, and their knocking rose in tempo and volume.

I grumbled out of bed and went for the door. Not giving the slightest about my sure-to-be even worse appearance to the previous day.

I opened the door to see Dimitri standing there with my pillow. Definitely one of the last things I expected. His face didn't hold any emotion – or not which I could read – as he held out my pillow towards me.

"Thanks," I grumbled, hesitantly taking it from him. I didn't move from the door, and nor did he. I waited to see if he had anything else – or more like something – to say.

"May I come in?" he asked after a few moments silence, still no emotion to gather alongside his face.

I hesitantly nodded, completely unsure of his motivations. I moved out of the way to grant him access, closing my door after him and heading to sit on my bed.

"Adrian came to me, before I saw you earlier," he said, still no emotion. "What happened with your mother?"

I turned my head away from him to look at the ground, "Nothing."

"It didn't look like nothing from the state you were in earlier. I asked your mother and-"

I snapped my head towards him, "I'm sure whatever she said was true. Why ask me?"

"Because what she told me was inconclusive. Apparently all she did was try to speak to you, and you stormed off. It doesn't explain the state you were in."

I looked away again, "That is all there is to it."

"Rose..."

"I don't want to talk about it. It's none of your business, anyway," I spat.

"It is my business when it is affecting your training. I had a valuable lesson planned for this afternoon, in which you delightfully missed. And we mustn't ignore the fact that you were beyond rude to me – as your teacher. But you are right; the details are none of my business. However, if it is going to affect you academically, I have to take action. You wish not to speak to any of your teachers to help you? I must recommend counselling."

"No," I growled, glaring up at him.

"You may technically have no legal guardian to make decisions for you, but you are still a minor. You do not have complete control over everything in your life."

I looked away from him, "Well, if I don't let it 'affect me academically' all should be fine."

"Rose..."

"Stop it! Stop saying that name like it means something! I wish I wasn't even Rose! The life of Rosemarie was better. She didn't have her good-for-nothing mother trying to get to know her. She didn't have to worry about a stupid academic life. She had her best friend, and most importantly – she didn't have some stuck-up mentor shoving his opinions up her ass!" By now I was standing, jabbing an outstretched finger into his chest. "I don't want your help. No one here understands. No one here even gives a shit about me. And that's good. I don't want them to. I don't want to be in this fake school with all these fake people giving me fake smiles trying to make me feel better. None of you have any idea what I have been through, what Rosemarie has been through. This 'Rose' figure you have tried to create, she isn't real."

He clasped his whole fist around my finger, but didn't move it. "She can be real. You're just going to give up that easily? No one understands because you won't let them. I want to help you Rose, but you won't let me."

"I won't let you because I don't want you to! You wouldn't understand anyway. Isn't it pretty self explanatory with my mother? She let me to be tortured by Strigoi for seventeen years while she was out and about being a guardian. Am I supposed to fall into her arms and cry my eyes out just because she is supposably my mother? Because I missed her? Because that seems pretty darn fucking farfetched to me."

"No, Rose, you haven't heard the whole story."

"And I don't want to! See what I mean? I just told you why I hate my mother and it's a perfectly understandable reason, yet you go and defend her! I am not an unreasonable person, so why is everyone trying to make it seem so?"

"You don't hate her..."

"Hah! There you go again. Like you can tell me how I feel? Beyond ridiculous."

"I'm not trying to. Look, Rose-"

"Stop calling me Rose!" I exploded, attempting to snatch my hand back. But his grip was too strong, and he wouldn't let release me either. "Let me go!"

"You need to calm down."

"Like hell I do!" I struggled even more until I finally managed to pry my finger lose. I stumbled back and fell on my bum, bumping my head against the wall.

Dimitri shook his head in annoyance, and reached his hand down to help me up, "Oh, Rose..."

I pulled both my hands tight into my body, "Stop calling me that!"

"What do I call you then?" he asked, scolding me with his tone, and retreating his hand slightly.

"Nothing, you call me nothing. And you get out of my room!"

"Stop being ridiculous. I want to help you, Rose." He let his hand fall back again.

I knew he was purposely calling me Rose by now, to annoy me or whatever else he was trying to do. But, suddenly I had no energy left anymore. To tell him to stop calling me that or to tell him to get out. I just didn't have it in me anymore. I wanted him to shut up and go away. The way I felt towards my mother came swarming back, and I put Dimitri in the way off my mental fist beside her too. My insides burned with anger again, and I wanted to scream like I had in the forest. But I was too exhausted.

So, I just ignored him. I curled my arms tighter into my body and closed my eyes. I hoped if I just pretended he wasn't there, then soon enough he wouldn't be there.

I was sorely mistaken though. He bent down in front of me and tried to pry my hands away from my face. "Look, Rose..." he whispered sadly, "I really do want to help you. Why won't you let me help you?"

I removed my hands, his own backing away, and looked up at him. This time, his face held emotion. That mask that he used to hide his emotions was gone. The solemn look in his face, matched identically with his eyes, told me he really meant it. He wanted to help me. So, why wouldn't I let him? Why couldn't I just accept help? I could tell him everything that I felt inside. And it would probably be a release too. To get my feelings off my chest, confide in somebody. It would probably make me feel better.

But that was just it. Confiding in somebody meant giving a part of myself up. Opening up and exposing myself. I didn't know if I could do that. I didn't know if I was ready to give that part up. Everything I felt was personal and telling it all to someone meant more than just letting off steam. I would be delving deep into my emotions and memories, somewhere I wasn't ready to go yet. I may as well cut open my chest and let him search around for any abnormalities. That was what this really was. Telling him everything so that he could try and fix me. Fix the broken soul that floats around within me.

Besides, Dimitri was more than just my mentor. I felt more than just a teacher-student relationship with him. Even if it was just the forming of something more, and even if all that it would ever be is a friendship. Yet, there was still more. And I didn't know what that meant. I had never trust anyone in my life besides Florence. I didn't know how trust formed. Florence had always been there for me, for my whole life. I never knew what it was not to trust her. So, how did I know if I trusted Dimitri? Or if I ever would trust Dimitri?

So, I did what I always do. I backed away. I shied away from his help, from what I didn't know. I shook my head and covered my face again. I felt a lone tear smear my palm.

He sighed loudly, an annoyed, frustrated, I-want-to-give-up kind of sigh. "Rose, I really do want to help."

I shook my head against my hands, not looking up.

"This is killing me, Rose. Please..."

I decided to remove my hands and peek up at him. He had sat down from his crouched position, legs crossed beneath him, and shoulder's slouching. He looked defeated. I could tell he really did want to help, but I was making it difficult. I felt bad. But instead of agreeing, I shook my head again. "How would you even help?" I asked. But it wasn't really a question. Evident by my voice, I was simply trying to prove that there was nothing he could do anyway.

"Just talk to me. I can listen. Even if I can't give you any advice or help you in any tangible way, getting it off your chest – that helps in so many ways, Rose. Believe me."

"I ca-can't..." I chocked.

"Oh, Rose..."

Before anything else could be said or done, my door was flung open to reveal a very exhausted Adrian. "Wha-what happened?" He blurted, before assessing the situation at all while trying to catch his breath. A moment later, his eyes scanned the room and he fell upon us huddled on the ground.

Even though both Dimitri and I looked sad, he barely took a second glance at Dimitri. He immediately looked concerned at my condition. Besides, I still looked horrible – the dirt, the scratches that had made their way through my cardigan, clear on my bare arms, and messy hair – added to my tired and sad eyes. Adrian didn't take a moment longer to run to my side and begin searching my body for any injuries, obviously besides the scratches. "Rose, Rose, Rose, are you okay? Oh, Rose. I'm sorry I left you with your Mum. I-I didn't know how to deal with it. I didn't think you'd want me there. I told Dimitri you were with your Mum, just in case something went wrong. But I didn't think it would. And then when I heard all the gossip all over the school that you stormed into the dorms looking like a mess, I was really scared."

I laughed, a little sadly, but I was still amused at Adrian's worry. I was angry at him for abandoning me with my mother, but I was too exhausted to access that anger. Wow... my crazy moods were all over the place. "I'm fine, Adrian. It's just a few scratches."

"Yeah, it is. But how the hell did you end up with them?"

I looked over Adrian's shoulder at Dimitri. He was standing now, having been pushed away by Adrian's frantic attempt to get to me. I could tell he wanted the answer just as much as, probably even more so than, Adrian. So, why did I feel it so much easier to tell Adrian?

I didn't tell him though. I would have, but Dimitri was still there. "I just fell over."

Adrian scoffed. I thought he didn't believe me at first, but he was just amazed at my – assumed – stupidity. "That must have been one hell of a fall to produce this," was all he said.

Relieved he bought it; I took another look up at Dimitri. I could tell he didn't. He simply frowned. The one person I wanted to drop it, was not going to. Something about his face told me more than his words ever could. I knew he wanted to figure out what happened. And I knew he wouldn't stop until he figured it out. Along with everything else I had bottled up inside.

Dimitri was going to make sure each and every secret – dark and not so dark – buried inside me – deep and not so deep – would be somehow made his information. And, in the end, there was nothing I was going to be able to about it.

A/N- Ohhhhhh!

I'm all for Dimitri figuring out my deepest and darkest secrets. ;)

So, what did you think about her confrontation with her mother? I wanted her to talk to her, and learn all the reasoning behind everything Janine did. But, it just couldn't happen. Not yet. Janine has good reason though – not the best reasoning, but none-the-less there is reason behind it. There is still ways she could have been a better mother. But, anyway! I don't want to confuse you all. Eventually everything Janine will be explained. :)

Also, what do you guys think about me making up my own characters? Or would you prefer I stick to all the original characters? I love making up my own characters! But, depends what you all prefer. :) However, if I did bring in my own characters – may be a while. I just want to know whether I have the option to if the chance appears within the story.

Well, review! Answers for these questions, or even just – 'I hate Adrian'! I mean, I love him, but he ruined this moment between our love-birds. :( Stupid Adrian and his Rose obsession!