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A special shout out to Kessafan - thank you for your hard work and your patience. The story wouldn't be that good without you. You are one kick-ass beta and I love you and your stories!

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy or its characters. I only like to play with them!

Chapter 7 - Never Too Late

We talk about our lives. And what has happened to the people from our past.

You ask if I keep in touch with them. My answers shock you. You find out about Lisa and Christian living not far from here; only an hour away. They got married but don't have any children.

Mia is in a country not too far away, but enough that we can't visit each other all that often. She's married and has two lovely girls. As a matter of fact, she was the first one of us girls to settle down.

You ask about Victor and his bar. You're surprised to find out it doesn't exist anymore. If only you knew what the bastard did after you left... I made sure to ruin him; you would have killed him. But I don't say much about, just warn you to stay away because he's not the friend you once thought he was. Not that you needed my warning. Sometimes I just forget what our current situation is.

We mention Mason and Ivan. Mason is dead. Do you remember what happened to Ivan? Something similar happened to Mason. I still believe it was my fault. The conversation turns awkward.

You ask about Adrian and how I met him. It was six years after you left. I had had enough of the plotting, the death traps and the pain. So I just upped and left. No one knew what I was planning; I didn't even tell my family until a week before I left, by then it was too late to change my mind and stop me.

I just didn't want to stay. I'd graduated university with honours. Had an accounts business set up; everything was legal. Well, as legal as it could get. But the relationships to the shady world of our past were not easy to shake off. Some of the people we used to deal with became my clients. But you know enough about money laundering and legalizing the illegal, so I don't have to explain much. I was under constant pressure. The stress was getting to me.

I thought I'd take some time off. Call it an extended holiday. I was planning on six months but six months flew by and I still didn't feel like going back. I was free of the restraints I'd been in most of my life. So the six months became a year... and that year soon became two.

I met Adrian six months after I moved here. We started as friends. Then one night we had drunk monkey sex. We started seeing each other; he was almost as perfect for me as you once were. I was planning on going back to my old life within the next six months and I tried to break it off, but he wouldn't have it and he wouldn't give up. So we just decided to stay together until it was time for me to leave.

He proposed on Valentine's Day. I know it sounds cheesy but he'd put a lot of effort and thought behind it.

I said yes.

I was tired of being alone. I loved him; not in the same way I loved you, but I did. He made me laugh and I felt almost whole again with him.

We got married in the summer, on a very hot July day with my friends and family. His family disinherited him because of it and I think to a certain degree he resents me for it. Things did get better with them when Eric Adrian was born, but not much.

We've been married for five and a half years now. But now it's all falling apart.

I ask about you and Tasha. You have two lovely boys. Lucky is seven and Valentine is one year old. I don't ask how you ended together; I know because I planned it all.

It's now my turn to be shocked... you aren't married. I ask you why. You take a moment too long. Then try to laugh it off... "You know me Roza; I was never one to want to get married, especially after the way my first marriage ended. And I never stopped hoping..." You don't finish the sentence.

We both know why. You never stopped hoping that I'll change my mind some day. It's all because of me. And the accusation is hanging there in the air. You couldn't bring yourself to marry Tasha but I married Adrian.

Oh boy, do I feel guilty. And then I say what is on my mind, you know what I am like with that non-existing brain-to-mouth filter of mine. "But you got with her long before I met Adrian!"

That, and I thought you'd be better off with her at the time, because she could give you children when I was told I couldn't have any.

"Yes..." You say. "...but you pushed me away and left me a long time before Tasha and I got together."

And then you ask the questions I am dreading. You want to know why, why I pushed you away and what made me do it. You want the truth.

"What is the point? It's too late, Dimitri! It could only hurt us more..."

"Oh, Roza, it's not too late. It's never too late!"

My heart gives a painful squeeze.

Never too late...

Now, let's see who actually read the notes at the top and the bottom!

The chapter names in the story are all songs or part of songs I feel describe best the way Rose feels. There are some pictures to go with the story too.

Would you like to listen to the songs and see the pictures?

I thought I'd ask first instead of spending all the time required to set it all up and finding out afterwards no one wants to know about it.

So, if you are interested, review or PM me!

Lana