RPOV

I rolled over in bed.

Dimitri was still there, again.

Ever since that night at the Disney Land Resort with my bad dreams, I'd woken up with Dimitri laying beside me the entire three nights we'd been here.

Tonight was our last night and we were going home tomorrow morning returning to the real world instead of one made up of fantasy and magic. I'd expected something to come from this trip; a kiss, a romantic evening involving nothing but bare skin, a bright morning waking up in Dimitri's bed or even a few hours of 'afternoon delight' as Lissa calls it.

I was expecting change in the small moments of flirtation between us.

Yes, I was scared of reaching out and trusting someone so much but the ideas and fantasies I had about Dimitri, about me being with Dimitri, outshined those fears.

I wanted a risk.

I kept telling my self all day at California adventure, despite that tingly feeling I'd worn all weekend that we were being watched and my attempts to ignore said feeling, to take a risk and just kiss him again like we had the first night.

I couldn't do it though.

The third day when we went to Knott's Berry farm and were feeding funnel cake to one another, engaging in a playful game of tag with the powder form the funnel cake, I was so tempted by that dreamy look in his brown eyes that I almost did it.

I almost gave in to that loud voice in the back of my head telling me to just do it and tell him what I want and that I don't care if it put both of us in danger.

I couldn't.

And I know what everyone is thinking: why?

At least that's what I keep asking my self.

The one worded question that echoes through my mind as I lay here with Dimitri beside me sleeping peacefully. I'm too wired up to sleep, too worried to think about shutting my eyes and giving in to the night's temptations.

The only answer I can come up with is because I'm afraid.

Fear.

It's always fear.

Fear that we're being watched, fear of my father.

Fear that I put my self out there and Dimitri rejects me.

He's given me all of the 'signs' that Lissa is always telling me about.

The signs that means a guy is actually interesting in you and not in getting into your pants.

He listens when I talk, he makes me laugh and smile and brightens every dark mood I have.

I'm never entirely sure there and that's because of fear.

These are the times I need Lissa the most.

My wing woman.

Dimitri sighs in his sleep and tightens his grip around my waist pulling me closer.

Was that a sign? A subtle one?

I decided not to dwell on it all too much and relax.

I inched even closer (which wasn't easy since we were already oh so close) closing the last few millimeters between us and laid my head under his chin on the soft pillow.

This isn't making things any easier.

Laying here snuggling under Dimitri, that one motion of him pulling my closer helped me.

It gave me that last push that I needed to ignore all of my worries and just do it.

DPOV

As if the weather could tell what dangers we were returning to, the sky seemed to darken going from a bright blue to a pale gray to heavy clouds to the drum of thunder.

And with this changing darkening weather, it seemed the light, carefree mood between Rose and I faded.

She didn't look away from the window once.

After our conversation this morning I thought we'd have a nice ride back home.

I was just lying to my self though.

I woke up before Rose did.

Actually my phone woke me up.

I stood from bed without moving Rose, which was a miracle considering how close we were. I walked to the living room where my phone was charging and answered on the third ring without looking at the ID.

"I've been trying to reach you all weekend." Jesse's voice rang loud and clear in my ear.

"I'm sorry dear, I thought it was my vacation," I retorted checking to see if I hadn't woken Rose. She rolled over, still asleep.

"You think you'd know by now to keep your phone near you," he muttered. "Look, I only called to make sure you're coming back today and that whatever romantic crap that built up between you two stays there."

I ignored the last part. "Yes we're coming home today. Any specific reason why?"

"We've gotten word that Mazur is returning early. His deal apparently didn't go well so he and Dragomir are on their way home. They should be here either late tonight or tomorrow morning. Rose needs to be there. I want to know what went wrong."

I sat on the edge of couch.

What a great way to end a vacation.

"Belikov are you listening."

"Yes, we'll be there."

"Good. And remember, if Rose is reluctant about coming back and working for us, use every charm in the book to get her to come back."

"I don't need to charm her, she's going to help us."

"Wine and dine her anyway in case she changes her mind. And besides Wouldn't it be better to get some out of all of this trouble we're through to close this case."

I hung up then and tossed the phone couch.

Jesse's idea for Christian and I to use Rose and Lissa…

I stood up and went back to the bed, lying beside her carefully.

I fell asleep for a second but opened my eyes to Rose smiling brightly.

"Good dreams," I asked referring to her wide smile.

"No."

I felt a confused expression fall upon my face.

"Really? You're smile says otherwise."

"No, I mean I didn't have any dreams. I only slept a little while. I've been thinking. Actually over thinking too much. Lissa says it's a bad habit of mine and so is babbling."

A light blush painted her cheeks.

"It's okay, I like your babble. It reminds me of my sister Victoria back home."

She laughed, almost nervously.

She sat up and got out of bed to pace the hotel bedroom floor.

I started to notice this as another one of her nervous habits. I sat up and leaned against the headboard of the bed waiting.

I watched as she knotted her fingers together, her feet padding against the floor, the legs of her pajama bottoms silencing each step. She twisted her fingers and pulled at the ends of her hair for an entire fifteen minutes.

I decided I'd given her enough time to contemplate whatever was running through her head before interrupting her thinking.

"You know we have to check out in a few hours, before the end of the day. This pacing can only go on for so long," I joked.

She tried to force a smile.

"Sorry," she breathed. "Nerves. I want to tell you something but I just don't know how to start."

"You've had fifteen minutes to pace. You can do it," I encouraged, I was growing more curious by the second.

She stopped and stood facing me.

She opened her mouth to say something but shut it. "I can't."

She continued pacing, locking a hand in her hair.

"Rose."

She stopped again and stood in front of me.

"What's it about at least?"

"Me…and you."

Uh-oh. I could hear Christians voice in my head and then Jesse's, both telling me that serious relationships always end up blowing up and are more trouble than their worth.

I could even hear my own voice telling me and reminding me about all of the negatives of getting into a relationship with Rose…and the happy memories of the past three days.

As if reading whatever negative expression these negative thoughts put on my face, Rose's face fell a little.

"Rose…"

I moved to the foot of the bed.

"D-dimitri-" stuttering was another nervous habit of hers, "I-I-I've been thinking about this all night and the past few days a-a-and at Disney Land and this is the happiest place on earth where apparently dreams come true and magic is real or at least that's what the employees here kept telling us. Not that I don't believe in dreams or magic b-b-because I do kind of even w-with everything I've been through as a kid, I-I-I believe in both of those things and faith and hope and I-I-I've really been hoping that maybe we could do something like more th-than we've been doing like be together on a-an actually date."

Rambling, stuttering, and I think she was having a little trouble breathing.

All adorable traits I'd grown accustomed to, knowing Rose.

I was already feeling guilty about what I was about to say.

Worries that had been plaguing my mind since the first day I'd met her were about to be put to words.

"Rose," I started. I wanted to grab a hold of her hands and pull her to me and not to have to say any of this at all. Jesse's earlier words came to mind. "I like you. You're a good kid-" that one hurt. I could tell by the way she flinched. "-but it wouldn't be a good idea for us to be together."

It took a second for her to croak out a reply.

"Why?"

"You're underage, you're one of my cases and if we were to get together it would interfere with the way we close this case."

Whatever nerve she built up to get out all of her words completely disappeared and the hope in her eyes faded, her shoulders slumped. She suddenly looked so small and fragile.

I wanted to take it all back.

Even if it was true, I didn't care about the case or our age difference any more.

I wished I could take it all back.

With a few awkward minutes passing, Rose suddenly perked up or tried to anyway.

"I understand. Actually I kind of figured that's what you'd say but I took a risk. Liss would be proud."

She gave a bit of a nervous laugh, mumbled something about getting dressed and packing and went into the bathroom.

I slumped forward, covering my face with my hands.

I was definitely fooling my self by thinking we wouldn't have an awkward ride back home.