Hello my lovely readers, I'm sorry this has taken so long to update but I've been incredibly busy. My new course load is huge, and I'm kind of struggling to keep on top of it. I'd also like to thank you for all your reviews, (I also love the reviews in Spanish, I've been utilising google translate quite a bit). Anyway, I think you'll all like this chapter, as it involves quite a major discussion with Christian, as well as a confrontation with Dimitri. So Please Enjoy!


For the first second after Christian's proclamation I stood still, rooted to the ground, but as soon as my brain started functioning again and I had processed what he had said, I dragged Christian into the saferoom, and slammed the door shut.

He blinked at me, stunned. "But Lissa…" He stuttered.

"Lissa will survive by herself for a minute." I told him. "What do you think you know?" I quizzed him.

"Huh?"

"Don't play dumb, Christian." I warned him, taking a step closer.

He sighed at me, and went to sit down on the couch, patting the spot beside him. I hesitated a second, wondering whether or not I should just run off and block my ears. But then I wouldn't find out what Christian knew, and I had to know. This was too important to just ignore. I needed to make sure that Ivy was safe. I made my way to the couch, sitting down on it gingerly.

"So what do you know?"

He gave me a sad smile. "That it wasn't your choice." He said. "And you didn't cheat on Dimitri."

"What?" I gasped, leaning forward to put my head in my hands, bile rising in my throat. How could he know?

"It wasn't your choice to leave-" I shook my head in a silent protestation, but he continued. "Anyone who was in that room right now could see that you didn't want to leave Lissa, let alone hurt her like you did." I bit my lip, Christian had worked out far more than I had imagined. "And if the reason you left was that you were 'scared' of Dimitri, you would have told Lissa and she would have done something. But we both know that you weren't scared. You were just pregnant. You wouldn't have cheated on him, everyone knew what you had sacrificed just to be with him. And any fool can see the resemblance between Ivy and Dimitri, especially when I saw the way you looked at both of them. As well as your reaction when Dimitri found out you had a child. But all of that information just came together when Lissa had her melt down. I can't believe I didn't see it sooner. And Lissa and Dimitri would see it too if they weren't so hurt."

"Christian." I said, my voice breaking. "I never meant to hurt them. Ever. I just knew that was the only way they'd let me leave. I'm sorry. God, I'm sorry."

"I know Rose, I get it." He said, gripping my hand tightly. "I just don't understand why you left?"

"Christian, I can't…"

"I know you can't tell, I don't know why, but I do trust that one day you'll tell us all the truth."

"I'm trying. I hate this, I hate it. This is tearing me apart. I promise I'm going to fix this, and hopefully they'll be able to forgive me." Christian knew without question that I was referring to Dimitri and Lissa.

"Of course they will. They love you."

"Dimitri doesn't. Not after what I did to him."

"Rose he loves you. You two belong together, and even now I can see it in the way he watches you. He loves you more than anything or anyone."

It took everything not to start crying, right then and there. Everything I had, not to rush to Dimitri and tell him the truth. But I had to be stronger than that. For Ivy.

I looked Christian in the eye. Ivy's safety was always the priority, and I had to make sure it stayed that way.

"But Christian you must promise me something."

"Anything." He answered immediately.

"I'm serious, don't say you'll promise when you don't even know what it is that I want." I said, meeting his gaze. "This isn't going to be an easy promise to keep."

"I'm still in, no matter how much we argued in the past, we're family Rose, and I'll always help you." I squeezed his hand tighter.

"You can't tell them, Dimitri and Lissa, about what you know," I could see that he was conflicted. "Because… because." I had to force the words through my lips they were so painful. "I might not be able to fix this, and I can't break their hearts all over again. They just have to stay broken for the meantime. And when it's over, they can know everything."

"But, Dimitri's got a daughter. Shouldn't he know? Isn't that his right as her Father?"

"Of course he should know." I spat out, suddenly furious. Furious at the cards life had dealt me. That Dimitri's father had dealt me. "But life's not that fair, Christian. You of all people should know. You can't always have perfect parents."

At this he pulled his hand away, I knew I had hurt him, referring to his parents but I was still so angry. This was not the life I had chosen.

"I just don't understand why. Why did you leave? Why is this such a secret?" He pleaded with me. "Please Rose. Trust me."

My anger subsided at that, leaving me feeling empty. The reasons behind my departure were too secret to tell. He himself, would just have to trust me.

"Christian I promise you now, one day you will know everything. But today you just need to believe I'm doing the right thing."

"It's not that I don't believe you. I'm just confused."

"I can't tell you Christian. I'm sorry."

He took a deep breath. "Don't apologise. Your secret is safe with me."

"Thank you." I told him. "So much. You truly are family."

"I know you made this offer to Lissa, but I extend it to you. If you ever need to talk, I'm here just give me a call."

"Thanks Sparky." I said heaving myself off the couch. "I'll consider it."

In response Christian gave me a broad smile, the first he had given me since I had gotten back. I gave him a small smile in exchange.

"See you later." I called, making my way to the door and heaving it open.

"Bye Rose." He said, as I made my way out, my heart considerably lightened.

I then went to check on Ivy, and took her with me to Master Gregori's office. I had to make some changes to my guarding schedule, and check what time my mentoring sessions were with Dimitri.

I knocked lightly on his door.

"Come in." He called.

"Gori!" Ivy cried, running to hug him.

"Hello cutie." He said, picking her up and putting her on his lap. She sat there happily, tinkering with the stationery littering the desk. I sat down in the chair opposite.

"How can I help you?" He asked.

"I just wanted to check what time my first mentoring session is."

He nodded and started paging through a thick file on his desk. Finally he stopped, and removed a page from the file.

"Here's your schedule." I took it and cast a quick eye over it. To my surprise, my first session was in half an hour. I swore in my head. Ideally I would have liked to have a much longer mental preparation time. But unfortunately in my messed up life nothing went smoothly.

"Thanks for that." I said, putting the page down. "I just had something I wanted to discuss with you."

Our discussion passed swiftly and soon I was out the door with Ivy, heading towards the apartment, when we ran into Abe, and Sebastian.

Shit. This day was only getting worse.

At first it looked like Abe was going to walk straight past me, and I believe he tried, however Sebastian caught sight of me and stopped, tugging on Abe's arm until he stopped too.

"Rosie." He cried happily, wrapping both his arms around me.

"Hey Sebastian." I cooed, hugging him back.

"My mummy!" Ivy cried, shoving Sebastian away.

"Ivy!" I cried, shocked at her behavior. But Sebastian responded in kind.

"No. My Rosie." He said, his eyes pooling with tears, shoving her back. "Go way."

"My MUMMY!" She shouted, going to shove him.

"Ivana, you stop it right now." I snapped. She looked at me sullenly, but brought her arms back to her sides. "Now apologise." She scowled at me, but I stared her down, and she relented.

"Sorry." She said, looking at the floor.

"For?" I prompted.

"Shoving you." She said, lifting her head and looking at Sebastian.

"That ok." He said, happily.

"Ivy this is your… this is Sebastian." I said, uncomfortable describing the three year old in front of me as an uncle. "And this man, "I said, looking up at Abe, who'd been staring down at us. " Is your Granddad."

Abe looked surprised at how easily I introduced at him, but still knelt down to Ivy's level.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Ivy." He said gently.

"Nice see too." She answered proudly, butchering 'Nice to see you too.'

"Good job, honey." I said ruffling her hair. "Would you go play with Sebbie for a minute?" I asked her. She nodded, and grabbed Sebastian's hand, dragging him over to a table, which she promptly climbed under.

I stood up and turned to Abe. "Dad I'm actually off to have my first session with Dimitri, but maybe we could meet up tomorrow night for dinner, with Mum. Just to talk?" I asked cautiously.

"Fine." He said brusquely. "I'll make the reservation."

"Ok. See you then. Dad." I said, giving him a cautious smile.

"Good luck, Rose." He said, reserved, before picking up Sebastian and walking away.

I had now lost another ten minutes and time was running low. I rushed Ivy to Seth's, and hurried to the gym, expecting Dimitri to be there already. But he wasn't. I sat down, preparing to wait for a little bit. However after sitting there for half an hour, I realized he must have forgot. He didn't hate me so much that he wouldn't just not turn up. Or so I hoped.

I walked down to his office, the whole Guardian Head Quarters giving me shivers. This is where they had held me for two weeks. The whole building made me feel claustrophobic. I bypassed the front desk and went straight to his office.

His door was partially open, and I barged in, not in the mood for manners.

"We have a training session right now." I told him.

"I know." He said calmly, not looking up from his paperwork.

"So are you coming?"

"No."

"Why the hell not?"

"I don't have to answer you."

I bit my lip in frustration. I didn't particularly want to spend all this time with Dimitri, but I knew in the long run, it would help Court to have a really strong Head Guardian. Dimitri was already strong. But I could help him be better. It didn't matter if it made him hate me even more. If I couldn't find Dimitri's father, then at least I could leave knowing Dimitri was better prepared. But he showed no signs of letting up on his sulking. Time to get tough.

"Dimitri." I said sharply. "I know you aren't happy with me at the moment." At this he scoffed. "But believe it or not I'm not doing this to torture you. I'm doing this so you're better prepared to protect Court."

"Are you doubting my skills as a Guardian?" He said slowly, straightening up in his seat, and looking me in the eye.

"No. As a Guardian you're fine." He raised one eyebrow. "But I am doubting one thing." I continued.

"And what is that?"

"Whether or not you could beat me."

"I could beat you easily Rose." He said, standing up. Finally I was getting a proper reaction.

"I don't believe that. But I'll let you have your pride. For now. Because I'll make you a deal."

"What would that be?" He asked, curious, despite himself.

"We have one fight. Just one. And if you beat me, we will stop with this mentoring business and I will leave you alone. However if I win, you will attend all mentoring sessions, and participate fully and enthusiastically. Do we have a deal?"

He looked conflicted for a moment, but then nodded. "Deal."

"Right then. Let's get this over with."

"Now?" He asked, bemused, casting an eye over the surrounds of his office.

"Not here." I said impatiently. "I'll give you 30 minutes, to change and warm up. And then, we fight.


So... Who's going to win? What do you want to happen? Please tell me what you think about this chapter, especially Christian now knowing part of Rose's secret. Also what do you want to happen with Abe and Janine. A lot of questions I know, but I really value any feedback. I'm going to try incredibly hard to update soon. Have a great day/night!