I got a lot of reviews wondering what Dimitri did when he went to see Lissa. That got me thinking, and I decided, "what the hell! I'll do a chapter of it." I will let you know when it goes back to Rose's POV. I also wanted to thank everyone who reviewed. I recieved reviews from people who haden't reviewed before, but is reading my story. Thank you. I like to know who is reading my story- as a writer, it makes me smile and touches my heart when you tell me what you think. I like having input from everyone, so thank you everyone who reviewd. keep reviewing.

I especially need your review on what Rose should say to Dimitri at the end of this chapter. I need help.

*Flashback- Dimitri's POV*

I left the apartment building with knowledge of what Rose had done to get me back. Yeva sure left me with a new perspective. At first, my destination when I left Yeva was to find Rose and apologize. But I needed to know exactly why the princess didn't want me to know why Rose was the one who did practically everything, while she did the major important last piece and got all the glory and didn't tell me what Rose did.

I knew Rose was right, but she was furious with Lissa. I don't blame her. I thought Rose would have strangled Lissa by now, but she has truly changed. Her strength and wisdom has become stronger, and I felt an urge of pride. I was awed when we first met by her determination to protect the princess, and now she has become even more protective of more people for all the right reasons. She is mine…or will be when I fix this mess that I had created. I had to fix it. f

Rose was always the heart and strength of a lion; just like her saying on her sword. It reminded me so much of her. She was loving, and caring- the only one who has seen the good in me, along with my weakness. She has seen me as a strigoi and still loved me after all the horrible things I have done, both to her and complete strangers. Yet, even after seeing me like that, she still wanted me more than anything.

She is right when I said that I viewed Lissa as my savior and Goddess. But what Rose doesn't understand is the feeling of that power healing both your body and soul. It is like anything I could have imagined. The warmth of healing from the magic was like God placing his hands on me and healing a very bad disease- like dementia. It was a true miracle, and I will never forget that night when I was saved, and when I tried to kill Rose. She would have killed me though, because she was just that good and she was on the right moral side.

I walked up to Lissa's house and knocked on the door. I was angry at her, very angry.

I controlled it, Dimitri. I thought, with my hands clenched into fists at my side. She is a moroi. They are easily frightened. If you want the truth, you are going to have to come forward with a calm approach. I was also afraid that she wouldn't talk to me or tell me the truth in my angry state. As I waited, I noticed the door had beat marks on it. Maybe it was from Rose's hand? She and I had similar feelings right about now.

"Go away!" Christian yelled in frustration. If I didn't know him as well as I did now, I would have written it off as angry. I knew something was going down. I wanted to stay out of it, but I wanted answers now. I wanted to fix things now.

Christian yelling at me wasn't the warm welcome I had anticipated, but okay. Feeling bold, I knocked again. "It's Dimitri." I said. My tone was full of authority. I quickly slipped on my guardian mask, needing to hide my angry expression. I wanted to run through the door and demand an explanation from Princess Vasilisa, why she didn't tell me the truth. Most importantly, why she watched Rose and I's relationship go down the gutter. I had to know why. There had to be some kind of logical explanation. Lissa was good, she wouldn't do anything bad if she didn't have to.

The door opened to reveal Christian, and he looked irritated, but I knew he was trying to lighten himself up to a friendlier face for me. His crystal blue eyes shinned like diamonds, but today they were clouded over, making them look unusually dark and angry; like a storm over an ocean. His black, shaggy hair was hanging down in his face, but not in his eyes.

"I would leave while you have the chance, Belikov." Christian advised with a grimace. "Rose just left ten minutes ago, and I think their friendship is over." Christian shook his head sadly and moved aside. "You are welcome to come in though."

I nodded with a grimace and stepped in and he closed the door behind me. "What was Rose doing here?" It was a dumb question on my part, because I already had a hunch- she wanted to yell at Lissa. That was Rose though, setting things straight no matter the cost to her or anyone else.

"Well, for starters, she was angry when she got here, but when she started talking to Lissa she was furious. I have never seen her so angry about anything in all my years of knowing her. She never laid a finger on her though. After what I heard from the their conversation though, I would have beaten any of my friends up until they were in the ICU (A/N: Intensive Care Unit- hospital)."

"What were they talking about?"

He rolled his eyes at me. "Like you don't know, man. What did you do to piss Rose off so badly?"

I shook my head. "Saying stuff that I didn't know was a lie." We walked into the living room and he sat down on the couch and I sat down on the recliner. The brown leather was cold at first, but quickly warmed up from my body heat.

He sighed in frustration. "God I hate drama." He raised his right hand and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, while looking at the TV, which was turned up halfway (and it was pretty loud). "This is exactly why I avoided people when I was in the Academy." He sighed again and we sat in silene for a moment until he looked at me. "Just hurry up and resolve it and make everyone happy again, okay? Gez, this is so freaking idiotic. Get it over with." Christian complained.

I nodded. "I came here for the truth over what happened. Rose was not at all happy with me and my views of what happened. She said that I had it wrong, that she was the one who saved me."

"She did!" Christian said, and he looked angry that I thought otherwise.

I was shocked that he was defending Rose, but I nodded. "I know now that she was the one. All this time I thought it was the Princess."

"I know. I asked Lissa when she was going to tell you that it was actually Rose who had saved you. She replied to me and said that she already did. I shrugged it off, thinking that you were too ashamed to acknowledge Rose."

I cringed inside. Does he know what I did to Rose in Siberia? God I hoped not. Rose had the right to tell anyone what I did and I'm not going to stop her, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

"Lissa is upstairs in her room, crying."

"She locked the door?"

"No. I know she wants me to come and comfort her, but I am staying out of this mess. It's a triangle already, I don't want to make a square."

I nodded in understanding.

"Thank-"

There was a knock on the door and Christian got up with annoyed growl. I hid my amused smile. He reminded me of Rose with his short temper and quick smartass retorts. They could be half-siblings. Within moments he returned with Guardian Castile, Rose's friend. I gave him a smile and he nodded back with a wave of his hand.

"Dimitri, what are you doing here?"

"Take a wild guess." Christian said loudly, letting out his frustration.

Just then we all heard a hard sob come from a near by room.

Castile sighed, and realization lit his face. "The girls got into it."

Christian rolled his eyes. "I hate drama."

Castile sat down on a black padded stool with silver legs that was by the window. From where the three of us sat, we made a triangle, and could see each other perfectly. He crossed his arms over his chest and had a peaceful and thoughtful expression on his face. "I can remember the good old times when there was just Rose, Mason and I. Hardly any drama with us three. Well, except getting into trouble and getting detentions."

Mason. My heart went out to them. Losing a colleague and a friend like that is hard. It was harder on Rose, seeing on how she watched it happen. I shivered at the memory of seeing her haunted expression when me and the rest of St. Vladimir's school guardians came into the house to rescue her. We found that she didn't need to be rescued, just needed to be taken care of and held gently in someone who cares for her arms- my arms. I wanted to hold her tight and protect her from anything that threatened to harm her.

When I saw her face, I wanted to weep and make it all better for her- erase the past. She was too young, too fragile for that to happen to her. But it did, and she dealt with it. As time went on, she got better, but that look of lose remained in her heart and face. Anyone who knew her could see it.

Christian smiled. "Rose was the mastermind behind all of your crazy ass stunts."

That got a wide smile from Castile. "She was a wild thing, let me tell you." I can only imagine how wild she was. She was a handful when I was her mentor and her lover; I can only imagine what she was like just being a close friend of hers.

Christen shook his head. "No need. I have seen it."

I cleared my throat. "I'm going to see Lissa."

They frowned at me. "What exactly is going on?" Castile asked, his brows forming a V.

Christian looked at him and explained. "Rose bitched Liss out for not telling Dimitri the truth."

"About what?"

"Saving me." I said. I didn't want to be in this conversation, but it was necessary. Maybe Eddie could help me.

"Rose was the one who saved you. Lissa did the only thing she could do, even though she went against Rose's wishes."

"Which was what?" I asked.

"Stake you."

I kept quiet. She didn't want to risk Lissa's life. Rose would risk her own life for me, but she would never risk the life of an innocent person-dhampire or not.

"I will come with you. I have a feeling she is going to tell you everything." I nodded and we walked up stairs and to the door where we heard the sobs the loudest.

I knocked. "It's Dimitri." I said softly. I had to remind myself that I had to be gentle with her for now. I can be mad at her later, I just need to get my ass through the door.

She didn't answer and I opened the door. She was lying down on the bed, and I could see that she had been crying for a while, due to the amount of tears on the pillowcase. She didn't look up at my entrance. I saw a wooden chair by her bed and I sat down on it, looking at her.

"Lissa?" I asked. My voice was gentle, but my feelings were anything but. I didn't want to hit her; never thought about hitting a female (strigoi don't count), but I wanted to yell at her.

"Rose is so cruel!" she said with venum.

I suppressed a growl. "Why do you say that?" My voice had a hard edge to it, but it managed to sound somewhat gentle.

"She left me. AGAIN!" My patience and my kind masquerade were wearing thin. I was in no mood to play any silly princess games. I wanted the truth!

A snort came from the doorway. I looked over to see Christian. "Rose never left you. She has always been there for you when you needed her."

"Not when you dumped me she wasn't."

"I mean with danger Lissa. And Rose had to go to Russia. You know why."

"She didn't have to go! She could have stayed here with me!"

I could see Rose slapping her for saying that; either that or yelling and glaring at her.

"What did Rose do to save me?" I said, and just like that my voice was angry. She looked at me in surprise.

"You know."

"I want to hear it from you Princess. What did Rose do for me? You said you saved me, but what did she do?"

"What does it matter?" she said bitterly.

"Tell him." Castile interjected with a voice that said he was not to be questioned. "Rose did everything and you are taking all the credit!" Castile seemed upset about this.

Lissa gave Castile a hard look, and then turned to me.

"I want no lies." I said with steel in my voice.

I could see her visibly swallow, then nod.

"When Rose was in Russia, on her way home, she found out about a man named Robert Deru. Her father knew him through the Daskov's. It turned out that Robert is Victor's half-brother, and they are pretty close. Abe tried to get Robert's location of off Victor, but he refused. Abe bribed him with everything he had, but said that there was nothing anyone could offer him that would make him give in.

"But Rose knew what he wanted-freedom. When she came back from Russia, I made her promise me that the next crazy thing she went to do, she would take me. She reluctantly agreed and when she told me we were breaking Victor out of Tarasova. Long story short, we had to track down where it was, because we found out that the location doesn't stay in one place very long. We needed to get a map of its vicinity and figure out a plan to get in and out of the prison. And by 'we', I mean, Rose, Eddie and myself.

"Rose came up with the idea of me charming silver jewelry so that we can hide our appearance. I made us look human to dhampires, and made Eddie's face burry, so they wouldn't remember his face. They came up with a plan to enter the building after scouting the area. The next day we entered and Rose took it from there by force and got him out. Of course we got caught and I had to use compulsion to make things go our way…"

She stopped to think, but I didn't want to wait. She looked at me and must have seen my angry face, because she started telling the story again. At this point, I could care less about what she did. I wanted to know what Rose did. She didn't matter all that much anymore. After the fact that she lied to me… No. Rose was right, she is spoiled, but that is just how royals are. I guess they never change.

"We just barely got out. We went to Vegas, which is where Victor said Robert was at. We got Robert and he told us of his tale where he restored a female strigoi by charming a silver stake. Rose smiled, thinking that was it. But it wasn't, little did we know that only a spirit user had to be the one who staked the strigoi."

The princess's face turned sad. "I have never in my life seen Rose so devastated…well, besides the night of the attack at the Academy when she found out you were gone. I was never really there for her…"

"What else?" I demanded glaring at her.

She looked back at me. "Why did she put you before me?"

"What else did she do Vasilisa Dragomire?" I demanded, trying to put the dangerous tone out of my stern voice. I was getting angrier with her delaying the facts of the story.

"She risked her career for you, Dimitri! Not to mention she risked my life-"

"Only because you made her promised you that she would let you come on her next reckless adventure, so don't even attempt to pin this on her!" I growled at her.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me!" I yelled at her, and she cringed back.

"I told you that I-" Her voice sounded small.

"That you staked me, and allowed me to believe that you saved me. And yes, in a huge way, you did. But you should have told me that it was Rose who did all the planning and got everything together. If you were a good friend, you would have mentioned what exactly she sacrificed for me. If you wanted me to recognize Rose, you would have done the honorable thing and made me realize what a fool I was for not seeing what Rose did!

"I did."

"No you didn't. And because of that, the woman that I love may have just walked out on me!" That thought made my heart twist. We have been through so much together. "She was the only one who understood me, the only one who truly loved me. You knew how much Roza loved me, and you didn't even have the decency to tell me how much she loved me when I was restored."

I kept yelling her. She looked at me hurt, but I didn't care. She deserved it! "And to top that all off, I said things to her that I watch hurt and break her heart!" I remembered inside the church, when is said that my love for her had faded, and that I had given up on her. The hurt and disbelief on Roza's face was fresh in my mind. Her shocked and hurt brown eyes had gazed at me, beginning me to tell her that I was lying to her, and to take it back. She tore out of there, faster than I could have imagined before I could have apologized for being so cruel to her.

"Why is it about her?"

I glared at her and she flinched. "Because for once in your life, it isn't about you."

I got up and headed to the door.

"Where are you going?" Lissa demanded, sounded angry.

I turned around at her, showing her how truly angry I was at her. "I am going to make things right between me and Rose. She deserves happiness. She is the one who puts her life on the line every single day for you. When you guys were at the Academy, she constantly worried about you, but she never once worried about herself. The darkness kept getting stronger and stronger and you never seemed to care! You kept using your magic despite what it did to her."

"What? But she never said anything-"

"Because she was being selfless! She knew exactly how you felt when you used it, and she didn't want to take that away from you." I balled my hands back up into fists at my side. "She is more of a friend to you than you deserve. She gave you everything- she protected you and loved you- and yet you still put yourself first. You never thought about her. You thought about others, but when it came to Rose, you just pushed her off to the side for later. When Mason Ashford had died, were you there for her? Did it ever occur to you what she was going through, especially at the fact that he died right in front of her? Ever thought of that?"

I saw her jaw clench shut tightly and her eyes filled with tears. I shook my head, almost feeling sorry for her.

"She has sacrificed a lot for me, but she has sacrificed everything for you." I said. "And what does she get in return- a broken heart and a broken friendship." I am starting to see why Rose is calling her gang her family. They are always there for her when she needs them.

I shook my head again, this time in disgust. "I'm done with you."

She stood up. "What does that mean?"

"It means that I am going with Rose. I will protect you when you need it, but I want to be with Rose, not you. I love her, and I should have been showing her how much I love her a long time ago. I have been a fool, and it is time to put my foot down and be a man. Dhampires never get a happy ending, but Rose deserves one, and I am going to give her it. I am putting my foot down and being the man that I should be. The man she deserves."

I stared at the princess for a moment. I was grateful that she staked me, but I was disgusted with her because she never had the decency to try and make me recognize what Rose did. Lissa calls herself Rose's best friend, but she doesn't deserve that title anymore. Rose deserves much better than her.

"Dimitri." A male voice said from the door. It wasn't Christian. I turned and saw Eddie. "Princess Vasilisa told you everything that happened, but Rose had a hard time with getting the information on Tarasova. We lost Victor in Vegas and haven't found him yet. We almost got caught breaking him out, but we managed to lose the guardians on the road."

I nodded my thanks. I was still angry, but I appreciated how he stood up to the plate and told me what Lissa left out.

"One more question." I asked. She looked at me in shame. "Why did you hide this from me?"

"Because I wanted you guys to stay with me! I wanted Rose close by. She is the only family I have left, and I wanted her close to me. Then whenever I am in danger, I know that I am safe when she is around."

"And by keeping me by your side, you knew Rose would stay no matter what."

She shook her head. "I know it was selfish, but Rose, besides Christian, is the only family that I got left, and I didn't want to lose her. She almost didn't come back last time, and I wasn't going to let her leave and not come back next time. I knew how much she loved you, I could feel it radiate off of her, and I knew that as long as I had you by my side, she would be too. There would be no leaving me."

"Lissa, if I had left, she wouldn't of came after me. She would have stayed with you regardless."

She nodded. "I know that now, but I was scared she would leave."

There was nothing more to say, so I walked out of the room and then out of the house. I needed to see Rose. Now. It couldn't wait any longer. Rose shouldn't be waiting any longer. She shouldn't have been waiting at all! As far as I am concerned, I should have been in her arms, not Lissa's.

I broke into a run for her hotel. I ran up to her room and knocked on her door. "Rose." I asked.

No answer. I knocked again, and there was no answer. Damn. She wasn't here.

I turned away, but only to run into her father.

"Dimitri, my dear boy! How are you?" He said with a smile on his face.

I forced a friendly smile. "Fine. Have you seen Rose?"

He shook his head? "No, I was just coming to talk to her. I take it she isn't in her room."

I shook my head. "No."

He shrugged. "My daughter is not a sit down girl. She always has to keep busy. How is Vasilisa?"

I clenched my teeth at the mention of her name. "She is upset."

"Why is that?"

"Her lies caught up to her."

"Ah. Sorry to hear that." He said with a slight grimace. "You don't seem too happy with her either."

"I'm not very fond of her at the moment. She needs to learn to stop being so sanctimonious."

"Ah."

"If you see Rose, can you tell her that I am looking for her?"

He nodded. "Of course. You two will work it out. Couples in a serious commitment always work things out." The way he said commitment told me that he was onto me.

"You are okay with that?" I asked, not playing dumb. I knew he saw me in the mall.

He nodded. "Just take care of here. She doesn't need any more trouble in her life. She deserves to be happy."

I smiled at him and turned around and went to look for Rose. I won't stop until I find her. I know she will demand me to leave her, but I won't. Not until she knows for sure that I know the truth, and that I want to be with her. I ran into the mall, thinking she might have decided to go shopping. I went into shoe stores, clothes stores and jewelry stores and looked around for her. What is it with women and jewelry anyway?

Rose's POV

I found myself melting into him and quickly returning the kiss, wanting more and more. My fingers were in his hair, pulling him closer to me. He was kissing me with urgency, putting everything he felt into the kiss: love, passion, and determination. Rose! A part of my brain said. Don't give in! Not now! Just a few seconds longer, I argued with myself. No.

I pulled back and dropped my hands and stepped back out of his old. "No." I said strongly in Russian.

"You want to." He acknowledged in Russian as well, stepping towards me. Hey, that was my line!

I kept stepping back, but walked into the wall. I felt like the pray again and I thrilled me, but to an extent. No! Stop it! Don't be that way. I yelled at my body.

"Back off Dimitri." Usually it was me who was coming on sexually. "I mean it. Leave. I don't want you here."

"I have an answer for you."

I narrowed my eyes, but was curious. What answer? I never gave him a question. "What do you mean?"

He stood up tall, making me realize exactly how tall six foot, seven inches really is. He looked me straight in the eyes when he spoke. "I am staying with you, and when you leave, I am leaving with you. I will go anywhere you go."

I glared at him. "I don't need a shadow. I am no moroi. I can take care of myself."

"I want to be with you!"

"And I told you no! I know exactly where your loyalty lies."

"And it is with you."

"No, it's with Princess Vasilisa. Stop lying to me." I didn't realize until now that I was firmly pressed up against the wall, and his body was touching mine.

"Rose please listen!"

"I already did, Dimitri. Get out! Your actions already spoke what I needed to hear. You wanted the princess, so you can have her. I am no sanctioned guardian. I am not going to be protecting the princess when I need to watch my family's backs."

"I know."He said, placing his hand on the side of my neck gently. His middle finger stroked my neck, making me weak in the knees. "I want to be with you, not stay here and protect her."

Anger flashed through me. "So you are going to protect me now, like some kind of damsel in distress?"

"That is not what I meant, Rose."

"That is what it sounded like to me!"

Something flashed in his eyes, it looked like realization and understanding. His lips came down on mine, giving me a soft, sweet, short kiss. When he ended it, he looked me back in the eyes. His eyes were soft and full of love. His hand came up to my cheek. "If I protect you Roza, it's because I am protecting the woman I love, not because I feel as if I owe it to you. A man has the right to protect the woman he loves, even if she is being obstinate and says otherwise."

I smiled at what he said, and my heart just melted when he said that he was just a man, protecting the woman he loves. I didn't doubt that he loved me. My smile quickly faded, though. "But your loyalty-"

"Is with you, and now that I think about it, it has always been with you." He cupped my face. "I will always be here for you. I will never leave your side, and I will always listen to what you think have to say. I will protect you and love you. Never doubt that."

My breath got caught in my throat as he said that, but I quickly regained composure. "And how do you plan on proving this to me?"

He dropped his hands from my face and bent down on one knee, and his hands held a box.

Oh God! I think I was experiencing cardiac arrest.

"Roza," he swallowed, and I knew he was sweating inside. He was putting his heart on the line. He wanted me. "Will you marry me?"

Did see that coming, did you?

Yo-Smiles. DON'T HATE ME! And I had no school today due to that huge storm in the South part of the country- hee hee (United States), so this along with chores around my house was what I did all day. So I was thinking of you! what should Rose say?

Please review.