I do not own VA series. R. Meade is the proud owner.

I was still debating while I was eating lunch on how to handle things with Mia. When I saw her enter the same cafe, knowing that I didn't look any thing like I did the last time we saw each other but she still looked around the room and stopped on me for a few seconds. It was one of those looks that you see a face that looks familiar but can't place it. Which caused me to give her some brownie points for the way she walked in.

I glanced around the room to see how many people that were also in the cafe. Seems that barely anyone was out to eat right now. She looked around to see a place to eat. There was a table that was close to me and sat down there. As I watched her out of the corner of my eye, I could see her keep glancing at me. I finished my food and got up to throw it away in the trash. Suddenly an idea came popped into my mind and I turned around to walk up to her. As I sat down I asked her why she kept looking at me. "You just look like someone I have met before." was her response. I gave her a very small smile, it was just a the corner of my lips that slightly raised. "And who would that be?" "Well, you kind of look like a women named Isabella." She stated without her voice wavering at all. I raised my eyebrow, (yes I finally figured out how to do that) "I know that name but why would you want to talk to her?" She looked straight into my eyes and stated. "I have my own reasons." The whole time that I sat there, I was studying her the whole time trying to figure out how she really acted towards others. I must have been staring at her for longer than I thought because she started to look uncomfortable. However this is Mia that we are talking about after all, "Take a picture it will last longer." was what she said as she got up. I am NEVER dismissed by others. It took every ounce of my patience, which was barely there to begin with even on a good day. The words that came out of my mouth were in a very controlled voice "If you really would like information that about those that you seek, I suggest that you sit down now." I didn't realize how scary that sounded but it was said barely loud enough for others to over hear. She sat back down with a skeptical look on her face. "What are you talking about?" I gave her a small smirk. Than wrote down my name and number on a napkin than handed it to her as I got up to leave the cafe. I could hear her take in a sharp breath than a chair scrapping across the floor. I picked up my pace just a little bit to make sure I was out the door before she caught up to me.

In maybe two steps out of the door she had caught up to me to ask "How do you know her? It can't be you because you look nothing like her?" I just glanced at her to reply with "I am used to having to change my appearance. The person that I am here for and I believe that she saw me, therefore I changed my appearance as soon as I could." I do not like talking out in the open so when I stopped walking without saying anything. She took a couple more steps before she realized that I wasn't next to her than walked back to me. "Where do you live?" I asked as soon as she reached me. I refuse for others to know where I was staying. I already knew where she lived plus who she lives with and their schedules. but was curious on whether or not she would take us there to talk. After being thoroughly surprised when we were almost to her house. I am just not as trusting as others; okay, I do not trust any one. Granted she didn't have the same life style that I did. So there really was no reason for her to constantly watch her back. Neither of us said anything the entire way to her house. As we walked into her house I glanced at her with a look with a surprised expression. I was shocked that she actually took me here without any questions.

I have some employees that work and live here at court so they could report to me on a regular basis. So I was always up to date on everything that goes on.

Inside her house was more organized than I had originally thought. She asked if I would like anything to drink that I had politely turned down. I do have manners, I just don't use them regularly, okay maybe on very rare occasions. She led us to her living room. I took a seat in the main chair leaving her to sit on the chair.

I waited for her to break the silence but she looked deep in thought while being just a bit nervous. The whole way there I was curious on what she wanted to know and how she knew who to ask. I was used to these kind of meetings so I did not hesitate to break the silence. "Why did you want to contact me instead of Abe Mazur?" She looked straight at me to say that she likes to people watch. And that if she saw the same person more than once she would watch on how they would act each time she saw them. I raised and an eyebrow to ask the same question. She answered one of the questions that I was planning on asking but not the one I had asked. She said "I do not know why I chose to talk to you. You just seemed to be the right one to talk too. Plus when I confronted the person that I would see everyday on a way to get in contact with either Abe or you. He paled and frightened look on his face when I mentioned you not Abe. After that I figured that you would be the best to talk too." I had a small smirk on my face from her answer. "Why would take the risk? What is the reason that you would want to talk to me?" She had got into a story about how she was sitting around when Christian was venting about how things were being handled about the moroi movement. Than I remembered that you also attended that meeting and that you were there to represent Abe because he could not make it." I sat there trying to figure out what I should do next. Normally, I would simply kill her after getting all of the information that she has. For some reason, I couldn't bring myself to do it even after she had told me everything she knew, which was quite a bit. I was still going to use Adrian to be more excepted into the group but that would take some time before they would feel comfortable enough to just let everything out like they would do if it was Mia instead of me. I gave her my real cell number not the disposable one that was bought for the time I would be here. She gave me an odd look. "That is my permanent phone number. The one I gave you was just a temporary one." She must have been pleased because she had a smile on her face. When I gave her my main number it showed her that I trusted her enough to give her it. However, it was also a small test to see if she would give it out, which I doubted but it was forwarded to an answering service first. I told her to to report to me about anything that she found out about the subject and she agreed. It would was a good thing that she agreed. We said our good byes and I walked out of her house. While I was walking away, I still couldn't figure out what to do about Mia. I was highly conflicted. I did NOT like being unsure about any thing. I always have a back up plan for the first back up plan. This kind of situation has never happened to me. That was when I decided to make a couple of phone calls. They were to the only two people that I value the opinions of and would actually listen to what they say. The first one was to my father, of course "Why hello, little girl, how my I help you?" He answered rather sarcastically. I however was not feeling sarcastic and told him my thoughts and solutions with a serious tone in my voice. He was quiet for a few and simply said "follow your instincts." Like that helped me SO much. NOT! "Gee thanks, old man. Bye" I had already hung up before he could even reply. I dialed the next number that belonged to Zander. He said much the same thing. I was past frustrated with both of them because they were no help what so ever. I was so in thought that I wasn't really paying attention to where I was walking. I immediately started cussing at the person till I looked up to see that it was only Adrian. He had a that smile on his face when he found something amusing but it was not enough for him to laugh. "What is so funny?" I snapped at him than quickly apologized. What the fuck? Why am I being more polite than I have been in a very long time. Hell maybe even more than when I was at school. I just looked at him and asked if he was hungry; which caused him to laugh. "You never got rid of that appetite of yours, huh?" "Of course not, if anything I eat more." I said smiling. We just sat there talking about different the positive and negatives about the moroi being able to use their magic offensively when everyone came in that I use to call my friends and now I was trying to befriend them again, anyone else find that ironic? For some reason they were talking about me. Well not me, but the old me, when I went by my real name, Rose. I heard my name which caused me to freeze in the middle of my sentence causing Adrian to give me funny look. I had forgotten that I was not by any means normal and had much better hearing than everyone. Glancing back at the group causing him to understand what was happening. I waited to see why they were talking about me. It seemed that they were all wondering what happened to me. There were so many rumors that went around, some were hard to believe, where there were others that were impossible to believe. Lissa was mad that I left without telling her anything making her feel that I betrayed her. In a way I guess that was true. That was the last wishes of her parents, that I was supposed to become her guardian. Pulling out of her head I quickly decided to block her out and any emotion that may have started to show. I slammed my mask back up. Adrian looked a bit sad that I had shut down again but didn't ask what happened. That was one of the many things that I liked about him. He hardly ever questions about any of my motives or reasoning. He would occasionally but never continuing to go after any information. Adrian could finally hear them walking them in our direction and he was studying their aura's. Guess what he saw made him confused and angry. Really wanting to ask what was going on but I was the same as him with information. I would wait when for him to tell me the information and not force it. However, he was the only one that I wouldn't push for information. Because let's face it, I had to do this without hurting the rest of them. I don't think that would make them warm up to me. Although, it was tempting, more so than other times, I had to restrain myself. They walked over to where we were sitting and asked if they could sit down with us. "Sure" Adrian said. I tried to make a face to show that I was happy that they wanted to sit with us but not overly scary type happy. Lissa was staring at me, again. I tilted my head a little to the side while looking back at her. I than raised an eyebrow at her. She looked away quickly to join the conversation; which was about some stupid shit that was so boring that I zoned out. I started to look around the room when Guardian Belikov walked in. I went completely still, almost to the point that I kind of looked like a statue. Adrian elbowed me and making me come out of my trance. What the fuck! I wanted to disappear. Than realizing that sounded like a coward and that was something that I was so not. Their conversation never stopped but had turned into some up coming ball. WOW! I so can't wait! Note the sarcasm.

Mia walked in and immediately sat down with us. Shortly after joining their conversation she said something about all of "us" girls going shopping tomorrow. My eyebrows shot up at the suggestion. I glanced over at Adrian, who was turning red from trying to hold in his laughter. I glared at him for a second which just causing him to loose it. He fell off of his chair because he was laughing so hard. I could only smirk at that. Everyone looked at him like he finally lost his marbles. (He knew my thoughts on this subject. I HATE going out.) It took him a minute to regain his composure. When he returned to his seat, he was saying that he thought that it would be great if we had a girls day. I sat there thinking and decided it would probably make them open up to me a little bit more. So I asked if they would minded that if I went also. I honestly didn't think to bring a dress with the intention to go to a ball. Lissa gave me a sheepish smile and said that it was mainly for royals to celebrate the birthday of someone that I could careless about, let alone to attempt to even bother to remember what his name. I gave her a small smile than said that I wouldn't have any problem for me to get into the ball. Adrian took the chance and asked if I would go with him. Honestly I would have been able to get in by myself but than thought it would be better if I went with Adrian. I was SO going to get him back later for bringing up the topic of shopping. I was sort of grateful but than again, I don't like people.

My thoughts kept drifting off onto what I should do with Mia. She seemed to want to get to know me better because she kept coming up with things for 'us' girls to do. During the whole conversation, Adrian had a small smirk on his face. Oh, he better sleep with one eye open. I wasn't going to warn him because I haven't decided on what I wanted to do with him, yet. The rest of the conversation was about who was dating who and more bull shit.

Mia was tuned into the conversation but kept an eye on everything that was happening around her. I wanted to give her a small test to help me make up my mind. (I had been wandering around and found a small garden that I sat in. Trying to figure out what all I can do.) I thought about a roll that was a couple of tables of way than "saw it flying towards her" (when I saw things is what they would do.) My eyes stayed glued on her as I watched how she reacted. Which was pretty damn good for someone with no training. It was about to hit her when she whipped around and grabbed it. I was impressed, which doesn't happen a lot, only something would impress me about very bull moon. I tilted my head again to get a better look at her. She didn't seem surprised or even bothered. She did look around to see where it came from but she was doing it in a way that none of them would notice.

I decided to leave than of course Adrian got up to also leave. I locked eyes with Mia for a fraction of a second and continued to walk past her. I hoped she would understand and if she didn't than she'd have a lot more to prove to me. I barely stepped outside when I received a text. I don't like texting, it takes too much time to sit there to type it than having to wait on a response from the other. NO THANKS! None the less, I opened it to read what Mia had sent to me - "I saw it coming at me from the corner of my eye." Hmm, well tomorrow I will be able to figure out what I would do about Mia. She understood what information that I wanted and gave it to me.

As Adrian and I walked back to his house; I saw the gym. I decided to give my body a good work out. I trained yesterday but I didn't really push my body to any extreme. Which is the way I like it, if I can feel my muscles being pushed, just a little, than I know it is time to stop that exercise. That's the way I have been and the more I push myself the better I got. I loved working out, but than again I love the feeling of being in complete control. I don't do weakness and I hate seeing others show it. Man, I have changed since school. I was totally lost in thought when we got to his house which made me a little mad because I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings at all. I followed him inside and when he shut the door, I spun around on my heel. I looked at him straight in his eyes and said "your an ass." Wow, that was such a big insult. Why am I having trouble thinking lately? It is so not a good idea for me to be at court. It is making me change and I don't like change. He just raised his eyebrow at me with a slight smirk on his face. "I thought you would the chance to get to know them better." I could only glare at him. Now would be a good idea for me to leave so I can work out and get rid of some my anger. Which I know that some of it came from Lissa. I have been taking a little bit of the darkness away. I've always done that, at least every other day but I never took enough for her to notice. I asked him if he wanted to go but he only laughed and said that I must really have lost my mind.

All of a sudden I had a thought about me being able to take darkness away from others. I could see it around him. Lissa had a small amount because of me but he didn't have any way to get rid of it so his was much thicker. I wanted to test my theory. I walked up to him reached up and grabbed the back of his neck bringing him down into a kiss. The kiss started out slow and I kept it that way. Every time our lips would touch I could take some of his darkness. Well that just proved that my theory. I drew back and he had a facial expression that I couldn't describe. "How did you do that?" he whispered. "I don't know." I said just as softly and with that I went to change.

I was on my way to the gym when I heard Mia talking to someone. "I don't understand why you are wanting Isabella to go with us tomorrow." Hmm, she was talking to Lissa. "She is new here and seems like someone that we would get along with." was her response. Lissa just looked at her. Mia continued "Besides I invited her already and I'm not going to all of a sudden tell her no just because you changed your mind. If you have an issue than maybe you shouldn't go." That made Lissa look a little hurt and guilty. Mia just said good night. I am starting to like her more and more. She doesn't take any shit and is up front. I walked towards the gym only to see...