Merry Christmas everyone. Here is a chapter/present from me. Enjoy. Please review when you are finished. I would like to say thank you again to everyone who reviewed last time. I got more than I thought I would. Thanks again, and MERRY CHRISTMAS! I wasn't expecting to update a new chapter so soon, but I wouldn't stop writing. I think I am as addicted as everyone else.

"Sorry." She said, and it sounded like she meant it. "It's harder than you think. I had to pull a few strings."

"Let me guess, I owe you."

"No." She said, matter of fact. "I did find a name though. A Ms. Emily Manstrano."

I was silent, recalling Jill's features. The eyes, the hair…of course. "Damn, I should have known." I said. It was so painfully obvious. The Dragomir legendary eyes.

"Rose?"

"I know the girl. The missing Dragmoir, I know her. She trusts me, but I don't know how well things will go with Emily. She is protecting her that is for sure. Her home is in the suburbs of Detroit, isn't it?"

"Yes, then you do know her. The paperwork doesn't give a name for the child, but I guess you already know her. How do you know that Emily is protecting her daughter? I mean, if she really is a royal, then wouldn't Emily want her to be recognized so she can have the best protection available?"

"You don't know what the royals are really like, Syd. Adrian and Lissa are the only ones that are good. They see people for who they really are. The rest are just power and money hungry. Thanks Sydney, you helped out a lot. Can you text me the address?"

"Sure thing. But Rose, be careful. Come back to us in one piece."

Us? Does that mean the whole gang or her and Adrian? "Sure thing." I said curtail. Things are going to get really ugly when I get back to court. If you get back, a voice said. Shut up! I thought.

I turned to face Dimitri. I looked at the time. Nine fifteen. Looks like we won't be having this discussion. I smiled. "We better leave now. I know who the missing Dragomir is. I will explain on the way. First thing first, I we need to leave now. I grabbed Dimitri's bicept and towed him towards the door.

"Why the hurry?"

"Remember what I said about how there might be danger?" And just like that, Dimitri was in front of me, making no effort to keep up with me. We made it to the Hummer in twenty seconds flat. Dimitri took the driver's seat, and me the passenger.

As if on que, I got the text message from Sydney.

"22147 North St." I said out loud.

"Calculating and programming." The mechanical voice said. After a few long moments of silence, the GPS said "head south and ketch Interstate I-75."

Dimitri booked it. I thought I was good at hitting the gas peddle, nope. Not in the presents of Dimitri Belikov.

We pulled out in the intersection just as I saw a car pulling out, and the yellow light go red. "DIMITRI!" I yelled, panicked that we were going to die before we could get to Jill. Horns flared and brake lights flashed red, but Dimitri kept going straight and going as fast as he dared. We made it out, managing not getting hit. My heart was pounding, and my breathing was rapid. Though it only lasted about six seconds, it felt much longer. I have to say, fighting strigoi was less scary than that.

"Let's not do that again. I died once in a car accident, I don't feel like doing that again."

He grunted. "As I recall, desperate times call for desperate measures."

I glared at him for a brief second, though he never looked at me, I swear I saw him smile. "Drive," was my response.

We got on I-75 then, and it wasn't but seven miles that the GPS spoke again. "Get off on nearest exit, then turn right." Dimitri did that and he made another right, then a left. "You will arrive at your destination in 1.4 miles."

"Get ready for the bombshell." I said. "And slow down, let's not draw attention to ourselves. We are here to get help, not kidnap."

Dimitri slowed down, finally seeing something of what I was saying. When he pulled over, he looked at me. "You go first, these people may know you."

"They do. It's Jill. Do you remember her?"

He nodded. "A little bit. You introduced us at the elementary campus?"

"Yeah." Waisting no time, I went on talking. "I guess you are right, I will go first. I met her mother, Emily after graduation, so the mother knows me a little bit."

"That and the fact that Jill trusts you, and looks up to you will put an edge to the situation. Jill will want to side with you, because it's you."

I nodded while I unbuckled my seatbelt. "I will stay here, you be careful."

I smiled at him. "When am I ever careful?"

That got me a bigger and warmer smile. "Wave to me when you are ready for me to come in. And, you are going to have to explain how spirit turns strigoi back to their original form.

"I've got it covered, Comrade." I tapped my finger to my temple. "I'm slightly intelligent."

He rolled his eyes. "Get out."

I got out in a lighter mood, but that quickly vanished as the seriousness of the situation hit me. My pace, which was slow, became faster-almost a jog, as the thought that Jill might not be there. The house was blue with white shudders. The door was an elegant blue glass, with cream rims on the side. It was the suburbs of Detroit, but this was an elegant house for this part of the city. I knocked on the door, all the while, holding my breath.

I waited, and while I waited, I became more and more anxious. Was everything okay? Is Jill alright?

The door opened, and a beautiful Moroi, with green eyes opened the door. She took my breath away, not with her young beauty, but with relief that she is alright. "Jill!" I breathed her name heavily with relief.

"Rose!" She smiled, both in shock and excitement. "Did you come to see me?"

I smiled. "I came because of you. Is your mother home?"

"Yeah, she is making lemonade. Want some?" Jill moved to the side of the door, giving me plenty of room to enter the house.

I felt all of my tension leave my body; my shoulders relaxed. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Dimitri watching. I gave him one nod and went in.

"How is your summer going?" I asked, sounding friendly and curious.

"Boring, I want to go back and practice more with Christian."

"He feels the same way, believe me."

A few moments of silence passed between us as we walked to the living room. The living room's color was yellow, but the couch, love seat and Lazy-Boy recliner was all gray, giving it a homey feel. There was even a fireplace, which was marble white. I could tell it was a propane user kind, because of the glass was completely closed off. The carpet is a light gray, practically identical with the furniture. There was light brown wooden side table by the couch, with a fancy lamp on it, with jewels hanging down from the lampshade. Above the couch is a big window, as long as the couch, which is about two and a half yards long. I sat down on the couch before Jill spoke.

"Rose, what are we going to do? I want to defend myself. I don't want to be like the average Moroi and be completely dependent on the guardians."

I sighed, and she sat down beside me. "Momma doesn't know about me practicing using my magic in self-defense. If she knew, she would blow a head gasket. "

I could see Emily doing that. Hell, if I was her, I would too. She is my daughter, and I wouldn't want her to be anywhere near harm, but what Emily doesn't realize, is then we grow up. There is a very real possibility that one day Jill will need to know how to defend herself. Guardians are becoming scarce and the Moroi will need to learn how to defend themselves. But what they don't see is how great they can be when they use their magic. Christian can become a great warrior when he uses his fire magic. He saved my life, imagine him saving more with it! That is what Emily is missing.

"I don't know Jill. I really don't."

Her face fell, and I realized that she was hoping I had an idea, like I always do. It was then, that I decided to teach her how to defend herself. I may not be good at it, but if I can recall my trainings in class and with Dimitri, then I might be an a-okay teacher. "Jill- if I teach you a few things," her whole face lit up like it was Christmas morning; "you will have to promise that you won't mention to anyone where you learned these moves. I can get in serious trouble for this."

Her face became a serious look of understanding, but excitement still shown through. She suddenly leaned over, giving me a tight hug. "Thank you, thank you, Rose!"

I didn't feel much like smiling, but I did, despite myself. I wanted to please Jill. I have always wanted to please people I felt was important, even if they are a stranger. I hugged her back. Just then, Emily came in with two clear, plastic cups of yellow lemonade. "I heard we had company." She said with a smile.

"Hello again, Ms. Manstrano."

She came over and set the cups down on the wooden table beside me, then she gave me a hug. "Call me Emily, Rose. It's great to see you again."

I started to smile, but the seriousness of what can happen wouldn't let me smile. "What is it?" Jill asked.

"Emily, I actually would like to talk to you about something."

Just like that, she knew I knew. Her face became somewhat impassive, her shoulders sank in defeat. She knew Jill was coming one way or the other; force or willing. She nodded and headed back the way I came, expecting me to follow. I did. We walked through a small hallway, and turned to the left, which had a swinging white door.

"How did you know?" She asked, her voice was mixed in with both shock and sadness.

"I didn't know until earlier today. We were in a hurry to get here."

"Why?" She sounded mad now. I can only imagine what she was thinking. Probably thinking I was in a hurry to take her daughter away from a safe haven.

"Don't wish to take Jill away." Emily's shoulders were stiff, but I could tell she knew that I didn't want to take her away from a safe place. "But, Emily, the reason for our haste, is because of the reason I found out there was another Dragomir."

"How did you find out?" She sounded curious, but still on guard.

"Someone broke into the Alchemist records. They took some information on Eric, and I became fearful that they found out who the missing Dragomir was. So not only was it a race to find out who was the missing child was, but to get to her before the other did. I am afraid if they found her, she can fall into the wrong hands."

"Did you find who it was?"

I shook my head. "No, but I swear Emily, I will find out."

She looked me square in the eyes. "And what do you want in return."

I swallowed hard and I knew that guilt shown through both my interior and exterior. "We need Jill's help, Emily. The Dhampire race is going to be extinct if she doesn't help."

"What do you mean?" She asked, shocked that I put it that way.

"Didn't you hear about the Age Law?"

Emily looked confused, like I spoke a language she doesn't understand. "The Queen passed a law that dhampires graduate at the age of sixteen."

"WHAT!" She yelled appalled.

I felt my pissed off face snap back on. "Dead serious. Queen bitch passed it. Hell, sat there in the court room helping her cause!"

"Why did you do that?"

"She told me to meat her in the courtroom. She gave me no other words. She had me tell every royal family when I killed my first strigoi and how many since going to Russia."

"She set you up."

"Yeah."

"And now she is going to kill the Dhampire race and even the Moroi race."

"Yes. I can't believe I fell for her trick. She thought every Dhampire in training is as good as me. The bitch is blind. I was the best novice in school, hell, in the country! But no, she didn't consider that. She and all the other stuck up royals are cowards and want to hide behind us. She is sending us out to battle at that age of sixteen. Emily, I don't want kids to die."

"Neither do I." She said, and this time determination lit he features. "I am expecting you want to drag my daughter away from her to Court."

I looked down. "I don't want to take her into the snake pit, but I will make sure she is around me, Lissa, and Adrian at all times. I can," the words got stuck in my throat. I didn't want to drag my mother into this. It isn't because I don't think she isn't strong, it's because of the fight that happened before I left. "I can get my mother to be around as well. I am sure you heard of my mother's reputation."

"Yes." She looked touched that is said I would get her to help out. She must know the rocky relationship between my mother and me. She got up from leaning on the counter a few feet from me. She walked up to me, and put her hand on my shoulder. "I know you and your friends will take good care of Jill, but I want to come. I can handle the cryptic, rude remarks, but I am sure Jill wont. She doesn't even know who her father is. She never asked, and I couldn't bring myself to tell her. She will be shocked and hurt."

This time I was the strong one. I looked at Emily with a smile. "I have a way with words. If she sees it my way, she will look at it from a good side, for now. I will eventually tell her the drawbacks…which are a lot, but for now we have to get her on board."

"Rose, mom?" Jill knocked on the door, walked in.

"I heard 'get her on board,' are we going to an amusement park?" She sounded excited.

"Well, I have something to tell you both, now." I said proudly. "Jill, do you remember Dim- I mean, Guardian Belikov?"

Her face showed excitement. "You and Lissa turned him back!"

I looked at Emily. "He really is back, Emily. He saved my life, and had multiple chances to kill me. His behavior and mood are the same as I remember."

Her face softened. "I believe you."

"He is with me. He didn't want to come in and cause you to be afraid." I bowed my head, trying to get pity from her. "He has been getting a lot rude comments lightly and people keep their distance from him. A lot of people don't believe that he is back."

"That is because spirit is still so new."

I looked up and smiled, knowing she truly believed he was back and she understood. I walked to the door, and looked at the car. Dimitri was looking at me, and I waved him in. I stood there, watching him get out of the car, shutting the door and locking the car.

"They believe?" He asked when he reached me in the doorway.

I nodded. I was alone in the doorway. Emily was in the kitchen with Jill, probably telling her what to pack, and trying to tell her to hold her questions for later. "Yeah, and I got Emily on our side. There wasn't much to convin her. She wasn't even aware of the age law."

Dimitri's face hardened at the mention of that. I touched his forearm. "It's okay. We will change the law. His face softened a little bit at that. Once again, Rose-logic worked wonders on him.

"I'm sure you will, Rose." He smiled at me, which quickened my heart. I looked away before I started to blush.

"Come into the living room. We have yet to tell Jill."

"She doesn't know anything, does she?"

"No, but I have a feeling she will want to help. Emily thinks she is going to go willing, and I have a feeling she is right. I also kinda, promised her something."

He wickedly narrowed his eyes. "Oh no."

I put on my guilty face. "Oh yes. I promised her to be her teach her how to defend herself."

His face hardened. "Rose-"

"It's not your reputation to worry about, Dimitri. It's mine. She is a princess, and you know as well as I do how much danger she will be in. If no one is around to protect her, she is going to be a sitting duck. I will not let anyone I love be such a thing. Besides, she doesn't want to be a victim, and a part of me is more than willing to teach her."

His hard face turned into determination. "Then she will have two amazing teachers."

I smiled. "Does that mean you are on board too?"

"Yes. You are right, and she does have the choice. I think every Moroi should have some sort of defensive training."

"I agree." Emily said, coming out with Jill on her heals. "We both heard what you two were saying."She said, reading my mind. "Jill does need to learn, and if you are willing to, I would like to as well."

This was completely different from what I thought Emily would have taken things. I thought for sure she wouldn't want Jill fighting, but I was defiantly for sure thought I was going to have to fight her to get her to see my side. I was relieved to know that wasn't the fact, but I was a little bit dizzy at the turn of events.

"We would be honored to teach you." Dimitri said, knowing I was lost for words. All I could do was manage a smile.

"Rose, what is going on? I have no clue what is going on, except that Mom agreed to allow me to learn how to fight."She said like she couldn't believe it.

"Jill, honey." Emily started, but turned to look at me. "Rose, allow me to tell her. She needs to hear it from me."

I nodded in understanding. I sat down on the couch, and Dimitri sat beside me, both of us watching Emily tell her daughter who her father is, and that she is important in Moroi government.

Emily turned back to Jill. "You never once asked me who your father is."

"That's because I am happy on how things are."

Emily smiled. "I know sweetie, but it's time for you to know." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Your father is Eric Dragmoir."

Jill went still, shock shinned on her face. A few silent and stressful moments passed before she spoke. "What does that mean?"

Emily looked at me for help. "It means, my friend, that you are Lissa's half sister." I said this in a sweet and calming tone.

Jill smiled at my tone, but she looked afraid. "But, that means…"

"You are a princess." I said in an excited tone, but I also managed to sound casual.

"What am I to do?" She had a puzzled look on her pale face.

"Well Jill, there are duties that you are going to have to full fill." Emily said.

"Like?"

"Jill, I'm not going to lie to you. Things are getting out of hand in the Moroi government and the Moroi need the Dragomir vote, in order to make a difference." Emily said.

"What's the problem?" Jill asked, and she sounded like a frightened little girl.

"The Age decree." I responded.

Jill looked at me. "What's that?"

"It allows dhampires, like Dimitri and I, to be sent out to battle at the age of sixteen. The decree makes it legal." I said flatly. I was still upset, and I don't think I will stop being upset until it was fixed.

"So I am guessing we are going to Court."

Emily didn't look at me, but I knew she wanted to; her daughter had her full attention. "Yes." She said, and it sounded rueful.

"Then I better start packing." She sounded submissive.

"Jill, you don't have to do this." Emily said on Jill's behalf, but I think it was also on her behalf as well.

To my surprise, Jill looked at her mother with an arguing look on her face. "But I want to help people. Lissa always does."

That made me smile; Lissa rubbed off on Jill in the short time they were friends. "Lissa helps people to the best of her abilities, but she wouldn't want you to do something you don't want to do. She helps people because she wants to, not because she feels obligated to." I said, stepping in on Lissa's behalf.

"I know, and I want to be more like Lissa. People look up at her like she is an angel. People look down on me because I am young."

I looked at Dimitri, remembering that was how I felt once upon a time. "Believe it or not Jill, everyone feels that way one time or another." I said. "I did when Lissa and I returned to the Academy."

Jill looked doubtful, but was interested in my tale. "What changed?"

"The way she took charge on stressful situations. When Lissa was kidnapped by Victor Dashkov, it was Rose who realized took charge, and told everyone how bad the situation was. When she felt no one was reacting fast enough, she pushed them. No one would listen to her because of her age and lack of experience."

"When I was stri-," Dimitri stumbled over that last word then cleared his throat, "strigoi, and I took Lissa, she took charge." Dimitri stood up, tall, refusing to let his inner demons run him away from this; because Lissa needed Jill, he stood his ground.

"I was more or less, the second in command. Hans was the commander." I smiled, then I turned serious. "The point, Jill, is that it is how you take control of situations. I take control over stressful and dangerous situations that are dealing with strigoi or any kind of danger dealing with someone I love. Lissa takes control over situations that she knows she can handle, and people admire how calm she is, no matter how dyer the situation is. Now, it is up to you how you are going to handle your dilemma's. Are you going to be brave and face them head-on, or are you going to do nothing? It is up to you, and how you handle it." I managed to sound causal, yet gravely serious.

She looked at me as if I was one of God's angels, coming down with an important message. "You are right. Completely right, I am going to face this thing head on. I will make a difference in this Age Decree." She said, and she had this whole determination look on her face. "Let me get my things and we will leave immediately." She ran upstairs and I could hear her go from left to right, and drawers opening and closing. Emily, I just noticed, was standing beside me, with a dark blue duffel bag.

"I am all packed." She said, noticing I was looking. "That was quiet a speech you made."

"It's the kind of speech that will move people into taking action." Dimitri agreed, looking at me with a smile.