Love of a Mentor

By: Roza. Dimka. Reader

For: Christmas/New Year's Contest by LFMH-A VA Lovers Group

Penname: Roza. Dimka. Reader

Word Count: 1540

Rating: T

Progress: In progress

World: VA

Beta: RozaHathaway17

Summary: Rose and Dimitri's first Christmas together. He's spending it in Palm Springs while she's at Court with Lissa. Can they find a way to be together?

Part 2

"Could you get any more excited?" Christian joked as we all climbed into one of the two cars going down to Palm Springs. Mikhail was driving one car, containing Lissa, Christian, another guardian and me. The rest of the guardians were following us in the other car.

"Let her be happy," Lissa told him, smiling at me.

They were right. I was happy and excited. It had been way too long since I last talked to Dimitri, face to face.

Christian, Lissa and Mikhail kept up a constant stream of conversation on the way there. I, however, was in my own little daydream of what Dimitri and I would do for the next week or two. Christmas Eve was still a few days away, and we were going to be staying there until New Years; which gave me just about enough time to get my fill of Dimitri. It would probably only last a couple of days and then I would need to see him again but still…it was better than not seeing him at all.

As we neared Palm Springs, there was a drastic change in the temperature. It dropped low enough that I had to curl my knees up to my chin to keep myself warm.

I soon forgot about the chills running through my body when I saw the fluffy white blanket covering every visible surface outside.

"Snow!" I said excited, pressing my palms against the frozen glass. "Can we-"

"No!" Christian exclaimed, making Mikhail jump. "We are not stopping."

I sent him a cold glare but I didn't put much anger in to it. It was hard to feel annoyed when I was this happy.

I jumped out of the car as soon as we pulled up at the two story house. I had been here once before when escorting Jill here a couple of months ago, but it looked completely different covered in white. It seemed so calm and peaceful and, well, Christmassy.

I all but ran up the small path, leaving more footprints in the already trampled ground. I skidded to a stop at the door, nearly slipping in the process. I didn't wait for the others as I knocked impatiently at the door.

To my absolute pleasure, it was my own personal Russian god who answered the door.

He grinned at the sight of me and suddenly, I had been swept up into his arms.

I buried my face in his neck and held on to him tightly.

As I heard voices travelling up the path behind me, I leant back so I could get a look at his face. I had thought it was impossible, but it seemed he had gotten even more gorgeous. My thoughts hadn't given him justice every time I thought of him – which was pretty much twenty four hours a day.

He set me back on my feet but didn't let go. Before he could stand back up to his full height, I pulled his face closer to mine and kissed him hard. The kiss was slow and passionate, and expressed everything we felt for each other. It was amazing how much emotion both of us seemed to be able to put into these kisses.

This kiss however, was cut short when something or someone bumped into me, almost knocking me over on the icy ground. Luckily, Dimitri's arms were already around me so I didn't fall on my ass.

"Get a room," Christian said to us, grinning, and pushed past us.

"Sorry!" Lissa apologised for her irritating boyfriend as she followed him inside. "Ignore him, go back to your reunion – it's so romantic."

I rolled my eyes but smiled happily at her. She went inside with her guardian.

"Let's go in, it's freezing out here," I said to Dimitri, grabbing his hand and leading the way inside.

"Wait, Rose…" he started, looking a little worried. "There's something you should know before you go into that room…"

"Rose!"

My whole body froze. A familiar voice and yet it made my stomach drop sounded from the doorway directly behind me. I stared wide eyed at Dimitri in shock as he looked over my head at the person standing behind me. His eyes moved back down to my face, obviously looking for my reaction and his eyes sparkled at my shock and annoyance.

I shut my eyes and took a deep breath before turning around to face my old 'acquaintance.'

"Joshua…hi," I greeted the young dhampir about the same age as myself with forced merriment. I could have sworn I heard Dimitri chuckle from behind me.

I was going to kill him.

Joshua walked up to me with excitement and happiness in his eyes. I almost felt bad for the guy, but I really couldn't have made it any clearer that I was in no way his fiancée, despite his community's traditions.

"How are you?" he asked me, stopping right in front of me, blocking my path to the living room where I could hear joy-filled voices of my friends being reunited.

"Good, I've been good," I told him, smiling awkwardly, "What are you doing here?"

"I asked my parents if I could come here to see how Angeline's getting on," he answered.

"I see." Dimitri had kept me updated on the going-ons here in Palm Springs so I had been informed when little Angeline had joined the group.

Dimitri seemed to decide that he'd had enough of a laugh and led me away from Joshua and into the living room. Not that that didn't stop Joshua from following.

"Rose!" Jill leaped from her place on the couch and into my arms. I gave her a tight hug.

"How are you doing?" I asked her the simple question, but she knew it meant more. I was asking her how she was dealing with the darkness that came hand in hand with having a spirit bond to another person.

"I'm doing okay," she answered, looking much happier than the last time I had seen her. Sydney approached me next, looking like she was enjoying the fact that Joshua could not get any closer to me than where he was standing right now. I sent her a glare but gave her a short hug all the same.

Dimitri had told me that we were going to be staying in a hotel nearby…and I could not have been happier. Even though it was nice to talk to and exchange holiday greetings with everyone again, it would be nice to finally get some much needed quality time.

We spent the rest of that evening crammed in the small living room, everyone chatting with each other and laughing. It was the perfect holiday picture.

Feeling a little warm and claustrophobic, I excused myself and discreetly slipped out of the room. I walked out the back door onto a small porch that led out into the enclosed garden.

I wrapped my arms around myself, feeling the cool chill in the air, and took a few deep breaths.

It was hard to believe how much some things had changed in the past year.

This time last year, I was still a novice, Dimitri was still my mentor and Lissa was still just a more-than-ordinary teenage Moroi. There were no illegitimate daughters or siblings and the biggest complication in my life was the fact that I was hopelessly in love with my mentor.

The door opened behind me and I hoped it was Dimitri. My stomach dropped a little when I realised it wasn't.

"I missed you," Joshua said, coming to stand beside me. I just stood there, feeling uncomfortable and staring out into darkening sky. When I had first met Joshua, I hadn't had a problem with him – I liked him, even. But that all changed when he got the wrong idea and basically proposed to me.

I had left the Keepers that day with the intent of never seeing him again. I wasn't sure how to react now that I was spending my Christmas with him.

"Rose, look," he pointed somewhere above us. I looked up to see mistletoe hanging right in between our heads. I felt like banging my head off the wall.

I quickly stepped out from under the mistletoe before he could go any further.

I couldn't stop the guilt I felt when I saw his confused and hurt expression.

"Joshua, I'm sorry…It's just, I'm kind of, seeing someone," I finished lamely.

He was silent for a moment as he watched me.

"It's Dimitri, isn't it?" he asked me, realisation written all over his face.

My sheepish expression said it all. He nodded in understanding, "I knew it."

"I'm really sorry-"

"Hey, don't be," he stopped me, "I get it Rose, it's okay."

I tried to figure out if he really meant it or if he was just saying that. From the expression on his face, he looked a little disappointed…but not heartbroken.

"What about that blonde girl you travelled with? Is she single?"

I felt my mouth almost drop. "Who, Lissa?" I burst out laughing, "Sorry, Joshua, she's most definitely taken."

Disappointment registered on his face once again. It was comical.

Figuring he was okay, I went back inside to be with my friends.

Very quick A/N: Just wanted to say a big thank you to those who followed and/or favourite-d this story :) especially to willow13 (guest), RozaHathaway17, HersheyRoza, twihearts1918, RozaRocks and .94 for reviewing. You guys are the best :D

Also, there will be a total of three parts of this story :)

Laurie