Thank you for the reviews! In this chapter, everything will be explained. I know a lot of you are confused, but just know that you shouldn't feel bad for not figuring it out. The reason she did it hasn't been talked about yet. Rose doesn't even know why! So, here we go…

Rebecka gave another harsh laugh. Never in a million years did I think I would hear something so brutal come from sweet, animal activist Rebecka. "And why wouldn't it be me, Rose? You did kill my son."

"What?! No, I didn't. You know that. Mason's death was an accident!" I shrieked. I was panicking. How could it be her? I had to be dreaming. I had to.

Instead of answering, she jumped forward and slapped me hard across the face. I would most likely have some sort of mark there. "You do not get to ask questions. I will explain everything to you, Rose, but you must be patient." She turned to Sid. "Get out."

His face contorted in anger. "Listen here, little lady. You don't order me around, I –"

Rebecka spun on him, her fists flying up so that it looked like she would punch him. "I said get. OUT!" I couldn't see her face, but I didn't think I needed to. The tone of her voice was menacing. I wondered again how she could have made this 180 in her personality.

Without another word, and a glare, Sid rose from his chair and slowly walked out of the room. Rebecka closed the door behind him before dragging the chair he'd been sitting in in front of me. She sat down in front of me, her face thoughtful. I wanted to ask a million questions, but I had no desire to be hit again.

"Don't worry, Rose," she told me after a long silence. "You know as well as I do that I can't stand seeing a living creature harmed. I've made an exception for you, of course, but that doesn't mean I can kill you."

I breathed a sigh of relief, but it wasn't for me. If she still didn't like the thought of killing anything, she probably wouldn't kill Lissa. Even though I knew I'd never get out of this place, I could rest easy knowing that at least Lissa would be alright.

"That's why I'm going to have my parents do it. They've killed before, especially my dad. He was in the army, you know. I always resented him for that – for killing other people just because they viewed the world differently from him – but I guess that's come in handy now. Even so, though, it will be quick. You won't feel a thing when we do it, either. Mason died instantly, so he felt no pain. No matter how angry I am with you, I'm not a barbarian. I'll show you the same respect you showed him." she explained.

"But I didn't do anything! I wasn't even there when Mason died! I loved Mason. I wouldn't do anything to hurt him." I pleaded.

I thought that she would slap me again, but she remained calm. No, calm wasn't the right way to put it. She looked more like someone who was finally getting what they wanted after months of agony. I now noticed the bags under eyes and the paleness of her skin. Her long, dark red hair was dull and greasy. The clothes she wore were tattered and wrinkled. I wondered how no one had noticed just how off she looked, but then thought better of it. Of course a woman who just lost her son would look horrible.

But the very worst part about her were her eyes. It wasn't because they were bloodshot and puffy. It was because they looked glossed over, as if she were living in a permanent hallucination. Maybe she felt like she was.

A small, hysterical chuckle escaped her lips, which were chapped. "Oh, Rose. You did do it. It's because of you that Mason was even out there that day. Don't tell me you didn't know that."

I had no idea how to respond to that. I honestly didn't know what she was talking about, but if I told her that, she might hurt me again. Then again, if I said I did, she would most likely know I was lying and hurt me for that. So I opted for silence.

Rebecka kept looking at me, expectantly. When it was obvious that I wasn't going to reply, she got up and walked over to one of the filing cabinets in the corner of the room. She opened the top drawer and pulled out a rolling pin. "This would be a lot easier if you would just work with me. I believe you will after this."

Before I could say anything to that, Rebecka leapt forward with a quickness I never knew she had. I almost – almost – didn't see the rolling pin coming. A small flash of yellow appeared in the corner of my vision just before excruciating pain enveloped the left side of my head. I sagged in the chair, the ropes being the only thing holding me up.

"Now," Rebecka began, sitting down. "My father doesn't want me to tell you anything, but I think you deserve to know the truth." I could barely hear her through the ringing in my ears. "I don't want you to be afraid, Rose. I promise that you won't feel a thing when the time comes for your death. David has morphine from his office and we're going to give you some before we snap your neck. It's a very strong drug. It may even knock you out."

I managed a small laugh. "Well…at least…that's something."

"That's a good girl." Rebecka told me, approving of my comment. I don't think she realized I was being sarcastic. You know what they say, sarcasm is an art. Most people would have a hard time making any kind of art after being hit in the head with a rolling pin. "Like I said, my father doesn't want me to tell you our plans, but I disagree. You need to know everything before you die, Rose. I don't want to continue your suffering on the other side, wherever that may be.

"Now that you know what will happen to you, I will grant your wish. I'll tell you why I'm doing this to you. Forgive me if this takes a while. I've been practicing what I'd say to you when I got you here, but now that the moment has come, I can't seem to decide what to say. So I'll just tell you everything."

Rebecka got up and began to pace, swinging the rolling pin back and forth between her hands. "Mason was born a big, bouncing baby boy. We knew from the start that he had my hair and his father's eyes. As he grew up, I became even more attached to him, which I didn't think was possible. That is one thing I'm sorry for; you will never know the love you feel for your child. Maybe that's just as well, though…

"We came back here a couple of years ago because of Mason. For some unfathomable reason, the kids at his old school mocked him for being a 'ginger'. They told him he had no soul, that they didn't want someone like him around them. As a result, he had no friends. When David learned that there was a building here in town that he could use for his veterinary office, we decided to move. And that's where everything started going downhill.

"I was glad my baby was making new friends. He was happy, which is all I wanted for him. But I soon realized that you and your group of friends were bad influences. Mason would come back home at all hours of the night, thinking I didn't know he was sneaking in. David talked me into letting it go for a little while, saying that Mason was a teenage boy and that's what teenage boys do. But one day, I couldn't help myself. I charged into his room, telling him that he was never allowed to see you or your friends again outside of school.

"Do you know what he said to me?" Rebecka stopped for a moment, tearing up. I would've felt bad for her if it weren't for the fact that she was the one who had me tied up to a chair. She'd apparently cut my forehead when she hit me with the rolling pin. There was blood running down the side of my face. "He told me that he hated me. My baby, the one I brought into this world, had turned against me.

"It would've been fine if it had just been your friends, but you were different. Mason told me he loved you, that he couldn't be away from you. You must know that I was surprised. My little boy had never told me about having a crush on a girl before. It especially came as a shock when I saw how passionate he was about you. I knew at that moment that there was no way I'd be able to keep him from you. It wasn't just because he was adamant about loving you that made me come to that decision. No, it was also because I knew he really would hate me if I kept you apart, something that I could never let happen.

"So I went ahead and let him continue seeing you. As time went on and I saw the two of you together more and more often, I decided that your relationship wasn't such a bad thing. You made my boy so, so happy. I found myself pleasantly surprised when I began to like you, Rose. It happened after that incident with Camille Conta and her posse. Do you remember that?"

I nodded. I did remember. It happened our sophomore year, during the first semester. Camille made a remark during class that Mason had the ugliest color hair she'd ever seen. I'd known how Mason felt about his hair – he always talked about how he hated it – so I stood up for him.

"At least his hair doesn't look like a cat got into a fight with it. You really should learn how not to be so hypocritical, Conta." I'd replied to her, in front of everyone. Even the teacher looked smug when I said it.

She flipped her hair, trying not to look fazed by my comment. "You would know all about Mason's hair, Hathaway. You've probably had your hands all in it plenty of times." By the wriggle of her eyebrows, everyone knew what she'd meant. That Mason and I had had sex.

It wasn't true, of course, but that didn't stop the teacher from chastising Camille. I smiled, flipping my own hair over my shoulder. "Well, then, I should be an expert on his hair by now. I've felt yours, too." I turned to the rest of the class. "Remember when all that hair was in the hallway the last day of last year? Well, that was Camille's hair, and I was the one who did it. Let me tell you, that stuff is like a spider's web. There's so much hairspray in it, it'll suck you right in if you get too close. Mason's hair, though, doesn't need any product to look amazing. And it feels pretty great, too."

The teacher stopped me after that, but I'd done what I set out to do. Camille turned red and gave her attention back to the lesson. I caught Mason's eye and gave him a wink. He was blushing, but he worded a silent thank you to me and smiled.

"You got in trouble the next day when Camille told Fink, right?" Rebecka asked, snapping me out of the flashback.

I shrugged, still feeling woozy. "It was worth it."

Suddenly, Rebecka was kneeling down in front of me. Now that we were face-to-face, I could see that she was crying. "That's what I'm talking about, Rose. You looked out for Mason, took care of him when I wasn't able to. No matter what happens here, I want you to know that I appreciate that."

She stood back up, her moment of weakness apparently gone. "But, you see, there was a problem with all of that. All that time he talked about loving you, I'd thought you two were dating. When I found out you weren't – when you brought that Jesse Zeklos kid to our house – I was beside myself. It took everything I had – and a lot of talking to from David – not to kick you out of my house then and there.

"But, even so, I stepped back and let the two of you work it out. I convinced myself that you would get together eventually, so it didn't matter who you dated then. So, I went on with my life, up until March of this year. We were in the church, waiting for the sermon to start. I hadn't known you and Mason were sitting behind me until I heard you talking…about guns." She gave me a pointed look.

I thought back hard – which wasn't easy with a head wound – and finally remembered what she was talking about.

"So you liked the movie?" Mason asked me as we sat down in a pew. I didn't normally go to church, but he'd begged me to go so we could hang out by ourselves for a little while. All my other friends went to different churches.

I nodded, turning toward him. "You bet I did. Bruce Willis might be getting up there in age, but you put a gun in his hand, have him smack around a few bad guys, and he's pretty hot."

Mason laughed. "Oh, so all I have to do is get a gun, fight a couple of people, and then you'll finally agree to go out on a date with me?"

I always hated having these conversations. Of course I liked Mason, maybe even enough to date, but I was scared of what might happen. I didn't originally think of him as boyfriend material. If we tried it out and it didn't work, it could ruin our friendship and make things awkward with our other friends. So I cracked a joke, hoping it would defuse the situation. "As if you'd be able to do all that. I'll tell you what: learn how to use a gun, take some lessons from Chuck Norris, and then we'll talk."

I thought that would stop him in his tracks, but instead, he whispered, "I'll get right on that."

The sermon started before I could reply. By the time church was over, we'd totally forgotten our earlier conversation and it was never brought up again.

I looked up at Rebecka, confused. "I don't understand…"

She sighed. "Of course you wouldn't. Let me explain. As you already know, David and I are very much against the use of firearms. They do nothing but cause destruction and are used for the sole purpose of killing. We taught Mason the same thing as he grew up. I thought he was on board with us, but you changed all that.

"After Mason…died…I couldn't think straight for days. I was in torment, all the while wondering why Mason would go out and hunt – go out and kill poor, defenseless animals. His father is a veterinarian, for Christ's sake! It evaded me time and time again, until Mason's funeral. When I saw my mother yelling at you and your friends, I was going to stop her. But then, out of nowhere, I remembered the discussion I'd heard you have with my son. Everything clicked into place, then.

"You were the reason he was out there, using guns. You were the one who told him to learn how to use one. It was all your fault. My son was so desperately in love with you that he would do anything to get you to date him and you took advantage of that." Rebecka looked menacing now. The rolling pin, which was now hanging down from her hand, shook with her entire body. I was afraid she would hit me again, but she didn't.

I grasped for something to say, but knew that it would be futile. There was a crazy gleam in Rebecka's eyes, one that told me she wasn't listening to reason right now. She'd made up her mind that I was the one responsible for Mason's death and nothing would change that. I still had to try, though. "Rebecka… I'm truly sorry you feel that way, but I didn't kill Mason. No one did. It was an accident. And Mason knew that I was joking around with him that day. Hell, I told him to get lessons from Chuck freaking Norris! There's no way he took that seriously."

She closed the distance between us in a heartbeat, raising the rolling pin over her head. I knew that if she hit me with it that way, I would lose consciousness. But it didn't really matter. No one knew where I was and there was no way I'd be able to get out of the restraints they'd used on me. I closed my eyes, bracing for impact.

But it never came. When I looked back up, Rebecka was standing in front of the door, tears falling down her face. I averted my eyes, not wanting her to catch me watching her for fear that she'd go through with the hit if she got mad.

She sighed. "I have to leave now, before I do something I'll regret." With that, she did.

[BREAK]

"No, no, no!" David yelled outside of the room they were holding me in. "They've already delayed our renting of the place two days! We can't afford any more time."

I'd been held here for at least a few days. During that time, they gave me no food, but they did give me water. It takes a long time to starve to death, but not to die of dehydration. They told me they didn't want me going like that. I did get bathroom breaks, to my surprise, but they were…unpleasant, to say the least.

Rebecka and David had hired what looked like bodyguards to keep an eye on me. They were the ones who took me to the bathroom. They never left the room and always kept their eyes on me, even when I was doing my business. I would've preferred peeing on myself, but I was already gross from the now dry, nasty water that had fallen on me during my scuffle with Patty and Sid.

I could barely move around or even stay awake. I had no energy, thanks to the lack of food and proper sleep. I'd sometimes find myself waking up, startled, and begin to cry. Most of the time, I cried because I was having a good dream, one in which I was safe at home, with my family, friends, and Dimitri at my side. There were a few others that made me cry, too, though. One was of Rebecka slashing Lissa's throat with the knife I'd seen in the picture they'd sent me. Another was of Dimitri, breaking down when he heard the news of my death.

I found myself wondering what Dimitri and Lissa were doing a lot of the time. My captors never told me anything about Lissa, so I had no idea if they'd let her go or not. They probably hadn't. They were either still holding her, or they'd already killed her. I beat myself up – mentally – all the time for not rescuing her before getting caught.

"Fine!" David continued. "We'll wait one more day. That's it, though."

I assumed that he was talking about the place they'd take me to kill me.

Rebecka suddenly appeared in the doorway. It was the first time I'd seen her – other than a few glimpses outside the door – since she'd explained to me why she was doing this. The woman was bat shit crazy. "C'mon. I'm taking you to the bathroom. No funny business."

I wanted to say, "Oh, this is anything but funny," but I kept my mouth shut. The dried blood on the side of my face was a reminder of what talking out of turn would do for me.

She untied me before grabbing my arms. They'd long since gotten rid of one of the ropes – probably because they knew I was too weak to really struggle out of them – and she knew I wouldn't try anything, even with the ropes off.

Rebecka brought me to the bathroom, which turned out to be a small room on the side of the front room, where customers came in. I'd now seen every nook and cranny of this building. Lissa definitely wasn't being held here. The only way she could was if they'd brought her to the back room since I'd been captured. They hadn't brought me back there.

It felt good to stretch my legs, but too soon I was put back in my chair, the rope going back around my torso. Patty called to Rebecka and she hastily finished the tie, running out to see what was going on.

From what I'd gathered while here, they were waiting on the space they'd rented to open up. Something was being done with the place right now, which made it impossible for them to use it. They were planning on giving me the morphine, snapping my neck, and doing something – I hadn't figured out what yet – that would make my body impossible to identify and find. I was actually glad that I didn't have to hear what would happen to my body after my soul left it.

The bell to the front door rang, signaling someone had arrived. I heard everyone's footsteps as they walked into the front room.

I sighed, trying to send telepathic thoughts to my friends. Mia, Eddie, Christian… I am so, so sorry that I couldn't get Lissa out of here. No matter what happens, you'll all be okay. You've lost so many loved ones: Mason, me, and probably Lissa. It's going to be hard, but you'll move on with your lives. I love you all so much. You've been the best friends in the world. I'm so happy that you were a part of my life.

Mom and Dad… I honestly don't know what I could say that would make you feel any better. You've been amazing parents to me, always trying your hardest to keep me safe. I guess I blew that, huh? I don't think you can hear me right now, but maybe one day I'll visit you in a dream or something, tell you what I want you to know. I have no idea what will happen to me when I'm dead, but I'll find a way to let you know I'm okay. I promise.

I was trying to hold the tears off, but they blurred my vision as they held in my eyes. It was time to tell Lissa how sorry I was. Liss… I feel like such a failure. I set out here, hoping I could find you and get you out of here by myself. That was naïve and foolish. I hope and pray that they'll decide you aren't worth killing. Do whatever you have to to get away from these people. Our friends need you. They've now lost both Mason and me. You need to be there to soften the blow, even if only by a little. Your family needs you. They just lost your mother, even though it doesn't feel like that sometimes. You need to stay alive. They can't handle another death in the family. But, I think this one is most of all, Christian needs you. I know, I know. I still think he's a punk, but he's a punk who I happen to care about. Losing you… I don't know how he could handle that. He's already lost so much. His parents are gone, his aunt is barely home. The only real family he has is you and the rest of our friends. If you don't fight for anyone else, fight for him. I love you, Lissa. You're the sister I never had. Of course I'm scared of dying. I don't want to die. But know that if it comes to a choice between the two of us dying, I would happily volunteer. You've been one of the best people in my life. I would trade my life in for yours, no matter what.

Now it was time for the hardest part of all. Dimitri. The tears that were in my eyes now pooled over, running down my face. I could taste their saltiness as a sob rocked through my chest. Dimitri… My sweet, wonderful Dimitri. I regret doing this most of all because I have to leave you. You've given me one of the best things in the world: love. No matter what happens, you have to keep living for me. I… I struggled for the right words. Words cannot describe how I feel right now, thinking about you. I love you, more than anything. I wish I could kiss your lips one last time, feel your touch or even hear your laugh. The only thing I can say to you – the only thing that may give you a fraction of comfort – is that you will be the last thing on my mind, ever. When they take my head in their hands, bent on destroying my life, you will be the one I think of. I'll hold on to all the wonderful memories I have of you. Maybe that will make dying a little less…well, horrible, I guess. When I'm gone, I want you to move on with your life. I want you to continue doing your best to help other people. I want you to learn to love again. Even though I don't like it, I want you to get married and have babies and be happy.

A small, hysterical bubble of laughter made its way through my lips before I could stop it. On second thought, no women. Adopt babies if you want them.

I sagged in my chair, all traces of laughter gone. "Ow!"

I sat back up quickly, trying to get away from the pain. What the hell just happened? My wrist stung a little, like I'd just been pricked. Doing my best to turn my head around, I caught sight of a little piece of metal at the seat of my chair. When I'd sagged down in the chair, my wrist caught that metal, scraping it. I did my best to turn my wrist so it was facing me. Luckily, Rebecka had done a sketchy job of tying me back up, so I was able to catch a glimpse of my wrist, seeing a few tiny dots of blood on it.

Damn it, I thought. Even the chair is out to get me!

But, suddenly, an idea came to me. I'd been so caught up in trying to find things around me to cut the ropes that I hadn't even thought about using something on the chair. It was just so obvious! I listened for people outside the door for only a moment before slouching down and bringing the ropes over the piece of metal. It helped that the rope was loose, thanks to Rebecka.

I sat there for what felt like hours, sliding the rope back and forth over the sharp part of the chair. I nicked my wrists a couple more times, but I barely felt anything, thanks to the adrenaline that had shot up in me when I realized I might be able to get out of here. Finally, I heard a quiet rip, like fabric coming apart.

The rope fell off. I was free.

Well, not entirely, not yet. My mind suddenly felt like it had the night I'd "staked" Dimitri at practice, like it was on autopilot. I immediately ran to the filing cabinet Rebecka had gotten the rolling pin out of, my legs shaky. I may have had adrenaline helping me out, but I was still starved and sleep-deprived. It was taking a toll on my body.

The top drawer was empty, save for a whisk and some wooden spoons. Unless I wanted to bake something, these were of no help. I opened the next drawer, finding nothing but papers. My heart began to sink, thinking that Rebecka had probably scored when she found the rolling pin. But, as I opened the third drawer, my hopes returned.

It was filled with tools, one of which was a hammer. It wasn't the best weapon in the world, but it certainly wasn't the worst. I could do some damage with this. I picked it up, weighing it in my hand. Oh, yeah, I was going to crack some skulls open.

That thought would normally be disconcerting, but considering these people were trying to kill me, I didn't give it another thought.

I rushed over to the side of the door, trying my hardest to hear anything that would tip me off as to where everyone was. I could hear some people talking in the front, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. Praying they didn't have a bodyguard posted at the door, I opened it.

There was no one there. The thought I'd had the other day when I slipped through the window came back to me. These people are so sloppy! It's a wonder they haven't gotten caught yet.

I quietly opened the door to the back, slipping inside. I had to get out of here without them noticing. If they did, they could corner me in the alley next to the building and I'd be done for. I was so busy thinking about that, I didn't notice the two bodyguards having coffee at the counter. Thankfully, they hadn't noticed me either.

I put my back up against the cabinet next to me, out of their view. I might be able to get the jump on one of them and knock them out with the hammer, but I wouldn't get both. I tried coming up with different plans, but they all came back to the same conclusion: I would have to fight my way out of here. Again.

They were both looking out one of the windows, admiring an old-fashioned car in the tiny parking lot. I snuck up to them as quietly as I could. It turned out that I was quiet enough, I just hadn't thought about my reflection in the window.

Bodyguard number one spun around when he saw me, but it was too late. I was already swinging the hammer at his head. It connected with the left side of his face. If I hadn't been so focused, I would've found the feeling of his bones shattering under the weight of the hammer disgusting. I tried to turn to bodyguard number two, but I wasn't fast enough. He ran at me, tackling me to the ground. I let out a piercing scream that mirrored the one breaking my finger had let loose. I dropped the hammer when we hit the ground.

His hand snaked up to cover my mouth, but I turned my head before he could. I knew my next move was dirty, but that really didn't matter. I would do whatever it took to get this asshole off of me. I reached up and grabbed the sides of his face, shoving my thumbs into his eyes. I pushed as hard as I could, this time making him yell out in pain.

He reached up and grabbed my pinky fingers, bending them back. I knew he'd break them if I didn't do something, but I couldn't let up on his eyes. I ground my teeth, ignoring the pain, and pushed as hard as I could. I almost gagged when blood came out of his right eye. He screamed, letting go of my fingers and punching wildly, unable to see. I managed to dodge most of them, but he wound up getting a shot in on my neck.

The muscles in my throat locked up, cutting off my oxygen. I was sputtering on my own spit, making it feel as if I were drowning. Bodyguard number two took the opportunity to pick me up and slam be back down on the ground. I was surprised he hadn't knocked me out, but I couldn't think about it right then.

Because he'd taken a knife out of his pocket. He was on his knees in front of me, holding the knife over his head just like Rebecka had held the rolling pin the other day. I wanted to scream, but nothing was coming out. Instead, all I could do was watch as he brought the knife down into my stomach.

Pain. Once again, my entire world was pain. Every memory of the night in the alley flashed before my eyes. I looked down at my stomach, seeing only the handle of the knife since it's blade was inside of me. I wanted to pull it out, but the sight alone left me paralyzed. I really am going to die…

A loud bang caught my attention, making me look up from the horror I'd just experienced. The back door had been kicked in, and standing in the doorway…

…was Dimitri.

I heard the shattering of glass, presumably the windows, but I wasn't paying attention to them. I knew you'd come for me. I knew you'd find me…

With the force of a god, Dimitri rushed forward, kicking bodyguard number two as hard as he could in the face. The man's head snapped backward and he fell to the floor, unconscious. I heard what sounded like an army's footsteps running across the floor, but I was too worried about the black ring that was around the edges of my vision to pay attention.

Dimitri was suddenly kneeling over me, his eyes wide with fear. He was saying something, but I couldn't hear him over the load roar that had begun in my ears. That probably should have freaked me out, but it didn't. It actually calmed me, sounding like the ocean Dimitri and I had spent so many nights next to.

I didn't realize I'd closed my eyes until I felt hands on the sides of my face. Lips came down on top of mine. I wanted to lose myself in them and pull away at the same time, but I couldn't move. In fact, I wasn't moving, not at all. I wasn't even breathing. I didn't know how I knew that, but I did. I tried desperately to open my eyes, to take a breath, but it wasn't working. Was I dead already? Was this the afterlife? Did our souls never leave our bodies, forcing us to know and feel everything that was happening around us?

I got my answer. For a moment, I felt my chest rise, like I was breathing, but I didn't feel it for very long. The roar of the ocean became louder and louder, enveloping me in it. I felt like I was underneath the water. It was cool and refreshing, especially after being in so much pain. Without another thought, I let the darkness of the deep ocean engulf me.

[BREAK; DIMITRI'S POV]

"Rose, stay with me!" I yelled, trying to keep her awake, keep her eyes on me. Every time she closed them, they would stay closed a little longer. "We're going to get you help. You're going to be okay. Rose!"

I went numb. No, no, no. This couldn't be happening, not to her. Not to my Roza. "Damn it, Rose, you're strong! Fight it. Stay with me!"

Three other people had come in through the back with me, but they weren't in the room with us anymore. They were taking care of the kidnappers.

I looked down for only a moment to see the knife in Rose's stomach, but it was one moment too many. I knew if we didn't get her help soon, she would die. I looked back up to her face, but her eyes were closed. "Rose?" No answer. No movement. "Rose?!"

Her chest heaved up once more and then fell. It didn't rise again.

Panic seized me. I took her face in my hands, bringing my mouth to hers. I plugged her nose and breathed into her mouth heavily. Her chest rose and then fell again. I started pumping her heart with my hands. One, two, three…

Nothing happened. I did it again. Nothing.

"No," my voice cracked. Tears were falling down my face. "Don't leave me. Please, Roza. Please don't leave me." She didn't respond at all. Anger rose into my chest like fire. "Wake up, damn it! Wake. Up!"

With still no answer, I scooped her into my arms, careful of the blade. I ran out the back door and around to the alley on the side of the building. "Help!" I yelled. We'd brought an ambulance with us, just in case. "Help me!"

The paramedics already had a stretcher ready. They helped me put Rose on it and slid her into the back of the ambulance. When I tried to get in behind her, a male paramedic stopped me. "You have to stay here, sir. We'll take care of her."

I stepped up to him, only a few inches of space between us. "I swear to God, if you do not let me in there, I will bring the wrath of a thousand gods down upon you." I leaned down, my face only an inch from his. "I will make you regret ever being born. Understand?"

His face paled as he nodded. "Y-yeah. G-go ahead," he stuttered.

I slipped into the back and sat down on the bench next to Rose. They'd already attached the wires that monitored her heartbeat to her chest. There was a long, steady beep echoing through the cab, signaling that her heart wasn't beating.

My legs bobbed up and down of their own accord as I ran my hands through my hair. Two paramedics were performing CPR on Rose as another took the knife out of her stomach and applied pressure to the wound. As the ambulance started to move, I wondered how we all fit in the cab.

I wasn't aware of any time passing. All I could do was watch and pray, watch and pray. She'll wake up. She has to. She's not dead. She's not dead. Please don't let her be dead!

"Sir, I'm very sorry, but could you please stop? If you want us to save her, you'll have to be quiet." a young, female paramedic said to me. I hadn't realized I'd been speaking my thoughts.

Tears rolled down my face as they pulled the AED and defibrillator out. I could barely watch as they said, "Clear!" The handles were brought down on Roza's chest, making her rise. I looked at the heart rate monitor. Nothing but that steady beep. "Clear!" they said again. They repeated the process three more times, with the same result.

The three paramedics looked at each other for a moment. They seemed to come to a silent conclusion. The young woman who'd told me to be quiet earlier sat next to me, starting to talk. But I wasn't listening. I was too busy hearing the other two.

"Time of death: 11:04 AM." a young male paramedic said.

The older male paramedic looked at him. "You know they can't pronounce that until we get to the hospital."

"No!" I yelled, rushing over to Rose. "No, she can't be dead! She's not dead! You made a mistake. Do something! Anything!" They tried to pull me off of Rose, but my strength was too much. I looked at Rose, talking directly to her. "Rose, you have to live. You have to! If not for me, for Lissa. Rose, they found her. Lissa is alive! Come back to her. Come back to me. Please."

She didn't move, didn't breathe. I looked back and forth between her and the heart rate monitor. There was no change in either of them. I lay my head down on her chest, unable to stop the sobs that wracked my body. I wasn't aware of anything except my Roza. My amazing, life-filled Roza who was now dead. How could she be taken from me so soon?

I looked up at her face, barely getting a grasp on things. I raised my shaking hand to her face and stroked her cheek, which was already starting to go cold. "I love you, Roza." I whispered. I brought my lips to her forehead, lingering there for a minute. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to picture her skin warm against my lips. When I finally pulled away, I whispered, "I love you so much."

Beep.

My head snapped up to look at Rose.

Beep.

Her chest rose, a kind of wet sound coming from her throat as she breathed in.

Beep.

"Move!" I was shoved out of the way as the paramedics rushed around Rose. They started working on her, but I wasn't paying attention to what they were doing. She was alive. Rose was alive!

[BREAK; ROSE'S POV]

"Rose, you have to live!"

Where was that voice coming from? I didn't want to hear it, wanted it to leave me alone. Everything was peaceful here under the water. If I acknowledged the voice, it might drag me back out.

"If not for me, for Lissa."

Lissa? I thought. Who's Lissa? No, I don't care. Leave me alone.

"Lissa is alive!"

Wait. Wait, I know that voice. Who is that? Suddenly, the water around me was going cold. I didn't like it. It meant that something bad was about to happen, I just didn't know what that was. The water was starting to feel more like it was keeping me down instead of helping me. It didn't want to let me go. The thought of that suddenly terrified me.

"I love you, Roza."

Dimitri? Light spread out around me. Looking up, I saw the light coming from the surface of the water. What the hell was I doing down here? Where was here? I didn't know, but I didn't care anymore. I kicked my feet and swung my arms around, trying to go up. The water began moving around me, two currents clashing against each other. They kept me from moving.

Stop resisting, a foreign voice whispered in my mind. There's no use. Your time is up.

"No!" I yelled, surprisingly hearing it. Bubbles floated out of my mouth and toward the surface. "Let me go!"

Are you sure? There's nothing but pain left for you there.

I shook my head. "Dimitri is there. And Lissa. And all my other friends and family."

Yes, the voice sighed in my mind. But they are all in pain, too. Why not wait for them here, in comfort? They will join you one day.

"I don't care. I want to be with them now, even if it is painful. Let. Me. Go!"

It did. I was sent flying up to the surface of the water. As soon as I was out, I coughed and sputtered, feeling like there was still water in my lungs. It only lasted a moment, though. Then I was taken away by a different kind of darkness.

Whew. That was a hard chapter to write. I really hope you guys enjoyed it. Did you like seeing things from Dimitri's POV? I won't be writing a lot of chapters – even in the next story, which I can now tell you is going to happen – in anyone other than Rose's POV. It makes it too hard to keep up with everyone. I only wrote this little part in Dimitri's POV because Rose wasn't aware of anything around her. Don't forget to review and let me know what you thought :) Thanks for reading!