Author's notes: Thank you for reading. Thank you for following and favoriting. Thank you for reviewing. Please continue to let that stuff happen. So, I think this might go on a little farther. I don't know how far really, just more than I originally intended. It may just be never-ending fluff. But I think we can all live with that, yes?

Happy reading!

Chapter Four

I drove Jill to see Adrian the next evening. Thankfully Eddie and Angeline were in the middle of training when we left. And both said they had homework to finish, so it was just us. I sat in the kitchen doing homework while the other two worked quietly in the living room. I tried not to pay attention, but the sound of Adrian's voice always drew me out of whatever I was doing. There were a lot of moments of silence and concentration.

"Hey, Sydney?" Adrian said after a while.

I looked up to see him standing at the end of the table. I smiled. "Yes?"

"Are you hungry? I was going to cook."

"You were going to cook?" I asked, giving him an incredulous look.

"Yeah, you got a problem with that?" He said with a teasing challenge in his eyes.

I chuckled. "I just didn't think you had the ability."

"So you think painting is my only talent?" He looked hurt. "I can do other things." He walked closer and leaned toward me. He murmured. "You know I can."

I looked over his shoulder. Jill was nowhere in sight.

"Bathroom." He said in explanation just before he pressed his lips to mine. "I'm sorry about last night."

"Last night was great." I protested. "All of it."

He sat down beside me and took my hand. "I'm going to see what I can do to get you that vacation I promised you. I think when we go to the wedding you should be able to get away. You aren't necessary with so many guardians around." He rubbed the back of my hand with his other one. "That didn't come out the way it was supposed to. I'd love to have you there."

"I know." I squeezed his hand. "But I would love the chance to see my family in a non-work capacity."

He leaned down and kissed my hand and then stood. He walked over to the fridge and started pulling out ingredients. Jill walked in a moment later.

"So what are you making?" Jill asked, leaning against the counter as he worked.

"Lasagna." He explained as he broke up ground beef in a pan. "Would you be a sweetheart and cut up some onions?"

Jill took the onion from him, found a knife, and went to work.

"Did you make the noodles yourself this morning?" I teased. I closed my books. No point in going any farther.

He chuckled. "No, I didn't." He took out a pot and filled it with water. "I'm cheating a little." He waved a jar of pasta sauce around. "Shortcuts, you know. I'm not Julia Child."

I laughed. My mother used to watch old Julia Child shows. "Is there anything I can help with?"

"Salad?" he asked.

"I can make a salad." I gathered the rest of the vegetables and began chopping. "So how did all that stuff go?" I asked, indicating the living room.

"I think I'm making progress." Jill said. "Which will come in handy for studying for my winter exams. Sometimes even when Adrian's just painting, I'm pulled in unexpectedly. I need to be able to only jump into his mind when I need to."

"Makes sense." I said.

"Too bad I don't plan on dying again." She said with a wry smile. "That would close the bond for good."

"Would you miss it or be relieved?" I asked. We never really talked about this. I never felt comfortable with either of them one-on-one, but with both there, it was easier.

"It's nice having someone there on the other end." She said softly, pushing the pile of onions away. But I'd like to have my mind back."

"I'm sorry, kid. But I like you." Adrian said, taking her onions and adding them to the browned meat. "And we need you. Not because you're the last Dragomir, but because Moroi numbers are so low."

"I know." She said.

"So why are you fooling around with me?" I asked without thinking. I paused what I was doing. I looked at both of them.

"Because I like you." He said. "Lissa and Christian can further the Moroi race." He shrugged. "If it goes the way I…" He trailed off and looked away. I saw a blush moving up his neck. I didn't realize vampires could blush.

Jill giggled. "Should I go in the other room?"

"No." we both said at the same time.

Adrian put noodles in the boiling water. "Let's face it, I'm hot. I could have my pick of Moroi and Dhampir alike. But I don't want the easy ones. I like the challenge."

I said nothing else, though I could. Like how it wasn't much of a challenge when the girl in question came over throwing herself at you. But I didn't. I didn't think it was right for me to flirt with Jill in the same room. It didn't matter that she was in on this secret. It didn't feel right.

Jill chattered on about school and her friends for the rest of the time. Adrian assembled the lasagna and made cheese bread. Jill and I watched from the table. When he was done, he sat down with us and put his hand on top of mine.

I was self-conscious for a moment and then turned my hand over and wrapped my fingers around his. Then my phone rang, taking me out of the moment. "Eddie." I said, pushing the talk button. "Hello?"

"Are you and Jill okay?" he asked, his voice tinged with worry.

"Yeah, we're with Adrian. They were working on some blocking exercises and now we're about to eat dinner."

"Oh. Okay."

"They can join us. I'll go pick them up." Adrian said. He stood and headed for the hook by the door that held his keys.

"You want to come? Adrian says he'll come get you."

"Yeah, I'll get Angeline."

Adrian walked over and said, "Tell them I'll meet them by the girls' dorms."

I relayed the message and hung up.

Adrian came over to me and brushed a kiss over my lips. "I'll be right back. Lock the door behind me. Don't let the food burn."

"I won't." And, ignoring Jill's presence, I pulled him in for one more kiss.

I looked down at my hands. Jill followed him. I heard their whispered conversation, though I tried to ignore it.

"I could just go." She whispered.

"We already invited other people over, Jill. I can't make up a good enough excuse."

"I just want to help, Adrian."

"Thank you, but you are doing all you can already. I'll be back in a few minutes."

She locked the door behind him and then returned to the kitchen. She checked the food in the oven and then turned around and watched me. "You know what he was going to say when he stopped himself, don't you?"

"Adrian is a romantic." I said. "I know what he was going to say."

"I've seen his dreams."

I nodded. Then I said, "No offense, Jill, but I don't feel comfortable talking about this. I'm still trying to figure it out myself."

"I understand." She pulled the bread out of the oven and turned it down so the pasta wouldn't burn. Then she retreated into the living room and turned on the TV.

I took a pop out of the fridge and joined her. "I'm just so new to this." I said as I took a sip.

"Yeah." She turned. "But you like him, right? You're not just playing around?"

"I like him." I assured her.

"Good." She turned back to the TV. "Because I don't know how I could handle that heartbreak again. I didn't want to hate Rose, but I had a lot of hurt and distain for her for a long time because of what she did."

"You can't help who you love." I argued.

"Yeah. But it still hurt. She was at a point where she thought Dimitri was gone forever. And then she just jumped right back to him as soon as he was better."

She sounded so bitter and jaded for someone so young. But it was understandable after what happened. And Jill was connected to his emotions and thoughts. She knew just as well as he did what heartbreak felt like.

"I'm going to try really hard not to hurt him." I promised. "I'd hate to hurt either of you."

"I'm glad."

We watched TV for a while until the others arrived. We had a lovely family dinner together. I had never played house as a child, though I understand it's a game a lot of little girls really like to play. But I felt then that we really were playing that childhood game. I was the mom and Adrian was the dad and the other three were our children. I smiled at the thought wistfully.

"What's that smile for, Sage?" Adrian said from the other end of the table.

I shook it off. "Nothing. Just enjoying the good conversation and good food." I indicated the plate. "You're not so bad. We should do this more often."

"Yeah, we should." He smiled.

At the end of the meal, Eddie and Angeline volunteered to wash dishes.

"I need a cigarette and some fresh air." Adrian announced.

"That makes no sense." I said. "You're actually polluting the air."

"Would you like to join me?" He asked, leaning close.

"Well, as much as I hate the smell of slow death…" I smiled and followed him out the door.

He stood there for a moment and then motioned for me to stand on the other side of him before he lit up. He blew the smoke away from me.

"Thanks." I said, leaning back against the wall. "I was pretending in my head we really were a family." I said after a while.

"Is that so?" he said on an exhale of smoke. "Mommy and Daddy and our three dysfunctional children?"

"They're not dysfunctional."

"Well, incestual at the very least."

I smiled. "They come by it honestly."

He chuckled and took another drag. "So, is that the first time you've ever thought of it?"

"Not consciously."

"I have." He admitted softly. He took another pull from his cigarette. "But I have a lot of time to think." He flicked ashes away. "But I…I shouldn't have it."

"And why is that?" I challenged. "Why shouldn't you want that? Why shouldn't you get it?"

He turned his head and looked at me. "What sort of future could we have? We have to hide this now. What are we going to do if we decide we want more? It could ruin your life."

"And yours." I looked away, not wanting to see the intensity in his eyes. "I promised Jill I'd try not to hurt you."

"I started this with you knowing that it would end eventually."

My eyes shot back to him. "It doesn't have to end. We'll just keep it a secret until we know Jill is safe."

"That could take a while."

"I know."

"Well, then what?"

I shrugged. "Maybe I'll tell my father I don't want this life after all."

"What about your sister?"

"I don't know."

He stubbed out his cigarette and waved away the last of the smoke. Then he pushed me against the wall. His hands rested against the wall on either side of my head. He kissed me softly. "I don't know either."

I put my hands on his chest. "Zoe wants this life. I don't."

"Then let her have it. You're still young enough to go to school and become an architect."

"Not if this takes forever." I pushed him away. "We need to get back to Amberwood."

"I wish you could stay."

"Me too." I walked back inside to see that the others were finishing up with the dishes. "Thank you, Adrian, for having us over for dinner."

We all bid Adrian farewell. Jill took my keys and headed out to Latte with the others trailing behind. I kissed Adrian behind the closed door and then left, wishing I could just rush back into his arms.