A/N: One review... That's the best you could do? There must be more than one person reading? I should change the summary...

Anyway, I was so close to posting one of those annoying chapters that's just author's notes, but you were saved. This time.

This chapter is short. It happens.

Disclaimer: Richelle Mead. That's all you need to know.

Rose's POV

I woke up a few hours after we had crashed ripped from a dream of Dimitri and me practicing. I was startled for the first few moments and confused. Christian had his arms around my waist; Lissa had her arms (and legs) around Christian and Adrian... Ah. Adrian had somehow moved closer to me and... Under me. To a witness right now it would look very inappropriate. I unwrapped myself from Christians arms carefully but couldn't escape Adrian. As soon as I started to crawl over him he moved, not wanting to wake him I held still.

One of his arms wrapped around my waist and I tried to pull it off gently but he was stronger than Christian. My head was pounding from too many 'hot chocolates' and I just wanted to go and get a glass of water and some panadol. After a few minutes of being gentle and careful, I still hadn't managed to escape Adrian's grip.

I gave up angrily throwing his arm off me and standing up. He moaned and rolled over, arms stretched out to the empty space where I'd been. He rolled back over, squinting.

"Rose...? Where are you?" He whispered.

I sighed and ignored his question going to the sink. I grabbed a glass from the cupboard quietly but the door swung shut with a bang. He stood up and walked slowly toward me.

"Rose?" He whispered again.

"Mm...?" I whispered back.

I filled the glass with water and felt around for the next cupboard handle, but in the dark my Dhampir vision could only go so far. Adrian's Moroi vision was apparently still fine because he took the glass from me.

"What are you doing up?" He asked and sniffed the glass.

"It's just water. I woke up so..." my words trailed off, I didn't want to explain.

He smiled into the darkness and opened a draw, holding up the box of tablets.

"Want these?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks. I can't really see..." I said without my usual confidence

He handed me the glass again and opened my hand with his, placing two tablets in it.

Something about the simple gesture was enchanting, he didn't say anything but I felt the love radiating off him. I let out the breath I'd been holding, unsure how I felt. He was Adrian, I had just killed Dimitri. I still couldn't bear that thought, the guilt still so fresh and potent. It wasn't that his love gave me the same feelings – not at all. But he cared about me, this new Adrian who was deep and meaningful, who people looked to for advice. I had to react to that; I would have helped him if the situation had been reversed.

It's like looking through a window, I know that I need help; I know that I'm not dealing with everything very well but I can't stop it. I can look at it objectively but it does no good. So there was no point thinking about whether I had feelings for Adrian or not, it wouldn't change anything, not now. I cared about him but in this state of mind, what did that matter?

I swallowed the tablets without taking my eyes from Adrian. He was smiling, what was he thinking? Ugh, thinking plus hangover equals ouch, not such a good idea. I closed my eyes and he took the glass back.

"Rose, I understand. Not the headache though I've had plenty of those... What you're doing. You don't need to pretend for me. If you ever just need to be yourself, find me. It worries me that you keep all this to yourself when I can see how much you're suffering." Adrian spoke softly, kindly.

When he was done he leant in and kissed my closed eyelids, I opened them as he pulled away. The torment in his eyes, the concerned set of his mouth, he wasn't pretending. Then, just as quickly it was gone, replaced by the laid-back Adrian half smile. Maybe in his own way he had a guardian mask.

"Adrian..." I said hesitantly, I couldn't let him know there was truth to his words.

He smiled and shook his head, "No Rose, We had a deal. You're not okay. I get it."

I sighed and gave up on trying to be everything to everyone, maybe I didn't have to be everything to Adrian. Who would have guessed Adrian Ivashkov was the exception to that?

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and walked back to the bed,

"Little Dhampir, let's just... rest. You don't have to sleep, but I'll protect your dreams if you do. I'll protect you."

I smiled and he pulled me against him as we laid down. I buried my head in his chest and whispered good night.

He laughed quietly, "Good morning, Sweetie. Good morning."

I may have been imagining it but I thought I heard him murmur 'Love you' after a moment.