Again I hope you enjoy reading, and most of the characters in my story belong to Richelle Mead (you know the ones). Happy Reading. :)

~bluestarberry

Rose's Point of View

I decided to sleep on the couch that night – it was a far better option than sleeping in Lissa and Christian's room. Thankfully, Tasha and Dimitri were out when I went into my room to grab some pillows and a spare blanket. His aftershave permeated my room and I lost myself in it for a second, daring myself to daydream about him. Tasha and Dimitri last visited us about a year ago but I could still envision his face clearly, as if I only saw him yesterday. I tried to tell myself to snap out of it but no matter how many mental slaps I give myself, my stupid heart seemed to have already made up its mind. Maybe this Australia trip isn't so bad after all, I thought to myself as I tried to make myself as comfortable as possible on the couch. I had given specific instructions to Lissa and Christian to not wake me; the repercussions of waking me weren't going to be very pretty.

I found myself drifting into a familiar dream that involved me, Dimitri and not a lot of clothes. Then it would quickly evolve into Dimitri pulling away from my kisses, and telling me stonily that I should learn self-control, that I would never be a good Guardian at the rate I was going, and that he didn't love me, that I was just an easy conquest for him, that he was lonely at the Academy and wanted a distraction. Tasha would then appear and laugh that flirty, tinkling laugh of hers and Dimitri would leave with her… It was the same dream I had every night since Dimitri left me for Tasha. I had learned to expect it and whilst the dream doesn't affect me as much as it used to, I would still wake up, gasping for breath. Tonight was no different.

I wiped the hair off my forehead as I tried to calm my racing heart; I had broken out in cold sweat again and my t-shirt was drenched. I groaned in disgust as I pulled my t-shirt off. Central heating meant that I usually slept in a singlet and boxer shorts, but Lissa had insisted that I put on more clothes because Tasha and Dimitri were coming back later that night. I was going to snap at her and tell her what I thought about it – that this wouldn't be happening if I had my room, but decided to let it go. The New Year was fast approaching; maybe anger management can be one of my resolutions.

I was only in my bra and boxer shorts when I slid back into the couch and under the covers. I draped my t-shirt over the top of the couch as I tried to go back to sleep. Lissa would just have to deal with my semi-naked state. I fidgeted for over 5 minutes on the couch before deciding that it was too uncomfortable to sleep on. I cursed Tasha under my breath for not only taking Dimitri, but also my room. I kicked the blankets off me in frustration when I noticed a dark figure lurking in a corner of the kitchen.

My Guardian instincts kicked into full gear as I braced myself for a fight. I reached under my pillow for my silver stake as my heart raced inside of me. My eyes quickly adjusted to make out a familiar lean, muscular back. Dimitri, my heart squeezed in recognition as it started to thump harder than it did before. He didn't have a t-shirt on and the few rays of sunlight that dodged the heavily draped windows only served to highlight the ripples of lean muscle along his arms, shoulders and back. I felt my breath catch at the back of my throat – he looked even better than the last time I saw him. I didn't even think it was possible. He had cut his hair; it was no longer long enough to be in a ponytail, but looked luscious enough to run my hands through it. Stop it! I mentally snapped at myself as I ogled at him. He downed his water as silently as possible before placing it silently in the sink. He turned around and our eyes met across the room. I was paralyzed as I saw his brown eyes fill with recognition. I wanted to lose myself in them; I could easily drown in them. For a second, I thought I detected a hint of longing in him but he quickly turned away and said, 'You're um…'

I looked down at myself. I was barely clad in my bra and underwear; my blankets had been kicked off and were lying on the ground. I felt myself blush furiously as I quickly reached out for the blankets. I was thankful for the thick curtains; hopefully it was dark enough for him not to notice my embarrassment. Holding them protectively against myself, I mumbled an apology.

'No, I'm sorry,' he offered gallantly. His smooth voice washed over me like silk. 'I must have woken you up,'

'Oh I uh… Just… I had a bad dream,' I said lamely. It was as if I had lost the ability to speak around him.

'Are you okay?'

My heart thumped at this expression of concern. I was so pathetic. Get over yourself, Hathaway. 'Yeah,' I said, still clutching my blankets to my body with a death grip, 'Yeah, it was just a dream,'

He nodded and ran a hand through his hair, making me long to touch him even more. 'Well… I uh… Better get to bed,' he said awkwardly. I nodded my agreement. I sat on the couch as I watched his receding back. He paused when he got to the entrance of my room and turned around. 'By the way…' he said into the darkness, 'Welcome back and uh… Sorry about your room,'

'Yeah, don't worry about it,' I mumbled. He looked like he was going to say something else but decided against it.

'Well… Sleep well,' he said awkwardly before closing my bedroom door. I smiled sadly to myself – it never used to be awkward between us.

Dimitri's Point of View

Tasha decided that she wanted to catch a Broadway play that night so I accompanied her to the theater. After that, Tasha insisted on visiting some of the bars around and we got something to eat before heading home. The good thing about being in a city was that food was always available, no matter how ungodly the hour was. We reached the apartment in the early hours of the morning to catch Christian and Lissa tip-toeing around the apartment.

'What's going on?' I asked aloud, only to be shushed by the both of them. Lissa explained that Rose managed to get on a last minute flight back to attend the party and that Rose was currently asleep on the couch. We were given specific instructions not to rouse her, or there would be hell to pay. I had stopped dead in my tracks when I heard that Rose was back. My mouth ran dry as I imagined her sleeping form and I felt the need for another cold shower before I went to bed.

Tasha and I often shared a room when a separate room wasn't possible. I had packed a sleeping bag as I knew that there wouldn't be a spare mattress available. 'Good night Dimitri!' Tasha called out and I responded in kind.

I tried to make myself comfortable on the hard floor but to no avail. Sleeping on the floor, in a sleeping bag, is not the most comfortable of sleeps. Sleeping on the floor, in a sleeping bag, in the room of the girl of your dreams, whilst she is sleeping on the couch less than 10 meters away, was a recipe for a sleepless night. I tossed and turned uncomfortably in my sleeping bag, hoping I wouldn't wake Tasha. I could smell Rose on the pillow that Tasha gave me and I buried my face in it, losing myself in the memories of her. I remembered her soft kisses, how they broke me; the silky feel of her hair, how they captivated me; her warm embraces, how they completed me. I was filled with regret for letting her go, but it was too late now. It looked like she had moved on and whilst I wished it was anyone but Ivashkov, I had no right to interfere.

After an hour of attempting to sleep, but failing miserably to, I decided to get myself a drink. I sneaked quietly into the kitchen, just barely making out the dark sleeping figure of Rose on the couch. Her hair was covering her face so I couldn't make out her features. I pushed the disappointment away, dismissing it as stupid. As I poured myself a glass of cold water, I heard a gasp behind me and I knew that it was Rose. I quickly downed my glass of water and turned around.

Our eyes met across the room and I felt myself losing in them once again. It has been more than a year since I left her, and she still managed to have this hold over me. It was terrifying to know that a young girl like her could have so much control over me, could make me lose all my senses. My eyes gradually took in her semi-naked form. She had taken off her t-shirt and her blankets were on the floor. She was wearing a bra and boxer shorts and by some divine intervention, and it must have been divine intervention for I could not think of any other reason, I didn't claim her for my own. My testosterone levels shot through the roof and I was thankful for the darkness that shrouded the apartment. I would have embarrassed myself otherwise. I hoped Christian and Lissa didn't mind me taking multiple showers a day. I had a feeling that I would need them, especially if this was how Rose usually dressed to sleep. I quickly realized that she was staring back at me, so I looked away, embarrassed to be ogling at her.

'You're um…' I stammered. Beautiful, I wanted to say. Amazing. Goddess-like. Perfect. Everything I want. Everything I need.

She must have realized that she was rather exposed as she quickly grabbed the blankets and held them to herself. I blushed furiously as I thought about her semi-naked body and chided myself harshly for it. She mumbled an apology, which I quickly rebutted. There was no need for her to apologize.

'No I'm sorry,' I said, 'I must have woken you up,'

'Oh I uh… Just… I had a bad dream,' she said and concern washed over me. I needed to know if she was okay. I knew that she occasionally had bad dreams that affected her, especially after the death of her friend Mason at Spokane. I wanted to comfort her, to hold her and tell her that it would all be okay. That I was here.

But instead, I said, 'Are you okay?'

'Yeah,' she said certainly, 'Yeah, it was just a dream,'

She had grown up. She didn't need me anymore. She could look after herself, I told myself over and over again. I felt the familiar sense of loss and disappointment, but tried to be happy for her, to be proud. I ran a hand through my hair nervously. I had better get back to bed, so I said awkwardly, 'Well… I uh… Better get back to bed,'

She nodded and I headed back towards her room. I felt terrible about sleeping in her room whilst she slept on the couch. I should be on the couch instead of encroaching on her territory. I decided that I would have a word to Tasha tomorrow about it. I paused as I got to the entrance of her room, remembering that she had just gotten back from her holiday and I hadn't welcomed her back yet. 'By the way…' I said, turning into the darkness, unsure if she was still listening, 'Welcome back and uh… Sorry about your room,'

'Yeah, don't worry about it,' was her reply. I felt like saying something more to her. But what Dimitri? I thought to myself, that you love her? That you regret it every day? And what difference is that going to make? Do you think that she'll love you after you broke her heart? So I decided against it.

'Well… sleep well,' I said awkwardly before closing the bedroom door. I smiled sadly to myself as I lay in the sleeping bag, listening to the distant sound of cars beneath the apartment as the city starting to wake. It never used to be awkward between us.