I was hesitant to walk up to him but Dimitri strolled right up. It felt like it had just been seconds ago that Dimitri didn't seem to mind putting a stake through his old friend's chest. But now he seemed more worried about him than I was. Then again I wasn't so worried as to give him an opening just in case he decided, Strigoi or not, he was still going to kill.

Instead Gabe kept his head down and his face turned away. "Don't touch me." He was staring down at his open hands. "Don't come near me."

"Gabriel?" Dimitri placed his hand on his shoulder.

He flinched so hard he made me jump. "Please, just let me die..."

Dimitri knelt beside him, "If I wanted that I would have killed you instead."

"Well you should have!" He looked up at Dimitri and he was crying. His eyes were so clear now. Dark and flecked with lighter brown. His lips were so pink and his skin looked sun kissed. All the cold had melted away. All except for the bit still lingering in his voice.

He smiled, "That would have been too easy, my friend."

Gabe scuffed, "You were just too scared to do it."

"Trust me." He looked off into nothingness, "It was hard not to." He chuckled, "It's going to be harder to live on now."

He laughed out, "So then this is your idea of a punishment?" He sat up and wiped his face with his shirt.

"More a form of rehabilitation." He put out his hand for Gabe to take.

He looked reluctant but he took it. "Don't be expecting a thank you for it."

He shook his head, "I wasn't. It wasn't my plan." He forced a laugh, "I really was just going to kill you."

"Good to know." Gabe kept himself hunched as he stood beside Dimitri. They were almost the same height and build. If I hadn't known better I could have sworn they were actually brothers. "Now what do I do with myself? I have nothing." He reached into his collar and pulled out the silver ball. He held it on his finger tips and just stared at it.

"I think I know somewhere you could make something of yourself." I patted his shoulder gingerly.

He shook his head, "Not without proper training."

"Even without proper training." Then the stupidest thing happened. The world tilted and swirled around me. I dropped down to one knee.

"Roza!" Dimitri grabbed my arm.

Gabe grabbed my other hand, "I'm sorry." He looked too ashamed to even look at me. "This is my fault." His eyes looked like they were watering.

"I'm fine. Really." I tried to stand up but my feet and legs weren't cooperating with me.

Dimitri lifted me into his arms, "You are not fine." He walked me over to one of the toppled chairs on the platform. Gabe picked up his chair and gestured for Dimitri to put me on it. "Rest for a while."

"But..."

"Please." Dimitri gripped my hands in his. "I don't want you stressing yourself out too much." He looked me dead in the eye and made a quick glance at my stomach. "Please."

I nodded getting the gist of what he was signalling. "Okay. At least check on Adrian."

"What happened to Adrian?" Dimitri straightened up and look around.

Viktoria waved him over, "He's here. Still unconcious but alive."

Dimitri nodded, "Okay but what happened?"

"He used all he had to save Rose." Alek checked Adrian's pulse again.

"He saved you?" Dimitri looked shocked. "I thought you knew how to heal yourself."

I shrugged, "Well apparently it's alot harder to heal myself solo when I am at death's door."

He shut his eyes tightly, "So he saved your life."

I nodded, "Yes."

Gabe sighed, "It's all my fault."

"No... Well yea, it is." I laughed it off, "But on the bright side we're all alive."

He looked around the room, "Not all of us."

I glanced at all that was left of his clan, "Who were they to you?"

He shrugged, "I'm not sure. I know Nicola was obsessed with pleasing me. Ariani was almost like a little sister. A rebel at heart." He smiled slightly. "Erik was a good guy most of the time. Very calm and a great wingman to have..." He paused for a while. "Marc? Him I could have done without. But he came with Erik." He made a laugh that sounded nearly convincing but it was cut short and dragged. "You have to take the good with the bad."

"That's exactly what you're going to have to say every day now." Dimitri began playing with his wedding band. "For the rest of your life."

I shrugged, "It's not all bad."

Dimitri leaned me on his chest and began running his hands through my hair, "No. It's not all bad."

I let my body relax and looked Gabriel over, "How do you feel right now?"

He sighed heavily, "I don't really know." He was staring off at the bodies lying on the ground. "It's like my head is being torn between being happy to be alive and grief. Grief for what I have seen... the things thats I have done." He dropped his head in shame.

Dimitri gripped his shoulder. "I can be of some help in that area to you." His voice was so gentle and tender. It made my heart ache to hear him so hurt. Not only by his friends torment but by the dreams and memories that no doubt haunted him.

"Do you want to be helped?" I was almost afraid to ask the question. I think it was the possible bad answer that scared me the most.

He just shrugged, "I actually do." He forced an airy laugh. "It's like... it's like waking up from an extremely long and drawn out bad dream. A nightmare. Everything just came rushing back in." His eyes fluttered and then shut tightly. "The emotions, the images, the lack of self control. I can see it all. It's still just sitting in the base of my thoughts. Taunting me. Reminding me." His voice seemed to trail off into a whisper.

Relief flooded over me. Just like Dimitri. I found the courage to reach out and gently lay my hand on his arm. His skin was warm to the touch. I don't know why that surprised me after everything that had just happened but it did. He looked down at me and I felt the pity well up in me. From what Dimitri described it was like he was a prisoner in his own body. Like some unseen force had highjacked his motor skills and forced him to inflict harm on others. But somewhere along the lines someone was able to set him with his own charm. Someone I know who, for obvious reasons, was blessed with Spirit.

"I wanted to wait til later to ask you this but where did you get that charm?" I pointed to the silver ball he held tightly in his hand.

He lifted it to his eyes and stared at it like it would reveal the answer. "A woman. An old woman. She just showed up one day, down here. She walked right up to me, fearless." His thoughts looked like they were far off. "She handed it to me and for some reason I felt... better. Less uncontrollable. It was easier to get a grip on me."

Dimitri and I looked at one another. Concern playing on his features. "Did you know her?"

He shook his head, "I couldn't really see her in all the darkness." He gestured grandly around us, "It was before all of this."

I gulped and I am sure he heard it, "Did you kill her?"

"No." He clasped the ball in his hand tightly. "She just walked out. And I felt no need to harm her."

Dimitri looked frusterated, "Have you seen her since?"

He bobbed his head unsurely, "From time to time I think I see her but I'm never too sure. I never really bothered with it. I just knew she wanted me to be better. To feel better." His lips curled into a soft smile. It was the first I had seen on him that didn't look cruel.

Our conversation was silenced as Alek and Viktoria walked up holding Adrian by this arm for support. He looked worn out as they slowly lowered him beside us. "He's alive."

Adrian chuckled, "Of course. It's going to take more than that to kill me off." One of his oh-so-famous grins spread on his face.

"I'm just gald you're okay." I squeezed his shoulder.

He patted my hand, "Thanks for worrying but I think we both know who was at the worst end." He looked me over. "So how are you holding up?"

I shrugged, "Alive."

"Thanks to you." I realized Dimitri was looking down at him, too.

His smiled grew slightly, "Really, it was nothing."

Dimitri shook his head and smiled, "No, it was everything to me. So thank you." His words were sincere and soft spoken.

From the look on his face, it caught Adrian off guard. His smile dimmed down to a more serious look. "You don't have to thank me. It was the least I could do." His gaze found me. "It should never have had to come to that."

Dimitri's gaze shifted to me, "No, it shouldn't have."

"Are you both blaming my state on me?" I tried to straighten up but my body was still weak.

Alek cleared his throat, "I'm not."

"I am the reason." Viktoria stepped up and looked like she was ready to be sentenced a swift punishment.

I shook my head, "No, you're not." My words came out harsh sounding and angry.

She nodded, "But I am. If Marc had never beat me than it would have never gone that far."

"But that doesn't make it your fault. You're not even fully trained to handle something like that." It wasn't right for someone so young to blame themself for something so serious. Even if I had died I would have never thought to blame Viktoria for it.

She just shook her head, "I should have been stronger..." The dried blood on her face made her complexion seem so much lighter than it really was. She pointed at Gabe and cried out, "He knew he could use me to get to you! Because I'm weak! Even a Strigoi knew it!"

I found myself standing up abruptly and staring her blank in the face. She had flinched back and nearly stumbled. "You do not blame yourself for any of this." The sound of my voice was stern and hard. If anything they all knew I meant what I said. "It takes more than brute strength to call anyone strong. And you are no different." I gestured around us, "Look what we have survived. What we lived through. And you think you're not strong enough?"

She paused for thought and looked around. She really looked like she was taking it all in. Her features were unreadable. Something she must have picked up from Dimitri. But the fragility that spoke millions echoed from the haunted and doubting look in her eyes. It made me feel angry, sad, and helpless that I couldn't get through to her. That I couldn't make her see.

I felt Dimitri gently place his hand on my shoulder, "You need to rest, Roza." He slowly shifted me to sit back down and I obeyed. I was to tired and worn to even think about fighting even verbally.

Gabriel looked around the room and broke the awkward silence that was settling in around us, "We should leave from this place." He helped Alek with Adrian. "I remember other Strigoi would stop by here to challenge us on random days. I don't know if some might drop by today." He was staring at the opening we came through. "There's a better way out than those rotten tunnels."

Viktoria eyed him cautiously, "Can we trust you?"

He smiled, "I am trying to get all of you to safety. If I wanted you all dead I could have just left you all hear for stray Strigoi."

She shuddered at the mention of Strigoi, "Fine." She looked at Dimitri and motioned to Gabe, "But I still want you to keep a close eye on him."

Dimitri nodded, "Understood." He lifted me off the chair and held me firmly in his arms. His skin was so warm on mine and I just felt safe. After all that we had gone through it was the most secure feeling in my life. I wrapped my arms around his neck and weaved my fingers together behind his neck. He looked down at me and smiled. "Ready?"

I nodded and smiled back, "Ready."

Viktoria was the first one heading out the tall man-made walk way. Gabe wasn't kidding. It was alot nicer than the tunnels. There were still strange markings on the wall but this one had lighting. There were small motion dectecting lights running along the top of the walls. Alek, Adrian and Gabe were just behind her and we followed closely behind Gabe. Dimitri was keeping him close. Didn't want to leave any room for error.

We emerged into the night air. It was fresh and clear. The trees and night air made everything that much better compared to the confined and stuffy rooms we had just fled. I felt Dimitri inhale deeply. His chest rose and held a moment just before he let it out. He looked relieved to be out in the real world once more. I was too. So were the others from the looks on the others faces. Even Gabriel seemed to appreciate the refreshing feeling. Considering he had been 'dead' for quite some time I am sure he was the most appreciative.

It was a whole other story when we got back to the hotel room. Sydney was not exactly pleased to see the new comer. Nor was she too thrilled about our state.

"What in God's name happened to all of you?" She grabbed Adrian's arm and helped him to the recliner. She ran off into the bathroom and emerged with a huge first aid kit that I am sure was more than enough for the four of us that were actaully injured.

Dimitri layed me back on the bed slowly, "It was one hell of a fight." I cringed as I touched the still open wound on my neck. I looked down at myself and suddenly realized my shirt was drenched in blood from my collar to my stomach. "Shit..."

She made Adrian lean back into the chair, "Stay still." She ripped open a small packet and pulled out a small white square. She dabbed it lightly on a small cut on his face.

Adrian's face showed it was probably covered in alcohol. "God, Syd!"

"Stop being such a baby!" She pressed down on his chest to keep him still and dabbed at the cut again. She kept throwing uneasy glances at Gabe but didn't question it out loud.

I felt a small laugh leave my lips. Dimitri sat beside me and brought a cool cloth to my neck. It didn't really hurt but it was definitely an uncomfortable pain. "Thanks."

He pressed his lips to my head, "I'm just glad you're okay."

I cherished the sweet but fleeting moment of that kiss. "Me too." I put my hand on my stomach and smiled. "You don't have to worry."

He placed his hand over mine, "Everything's okay?"

"Yea." I nodded hoping to confirm this with Adrian after some rest and healing.

I caught Adrian watching me and I think it was for the exact reason Dimitri and I were just discussing. After a few moments his gaze eased and he sent me a warm smile. A simple nod was enough to reassure me that everything was indeed okay.

Alek was being attended to by Viktoria who was still keeping an unwavering watch over Gabe. Every now and then Alek would wince but never uttered a complaint or showed actual pain. A definite trooper and tough guy if I had ever seen one.

Then it hit me. I looked at Dimitri's chest. There were slices and scratches all along his abdomen and chest. I ran my finger tips over one that looked particularly bad. He pulled back slightly, "I'm fine."

"You don't look too fine." I sat up with some trouble but managed.

"Don't." He tried to make me lay back down but I was head strong.

I waved over head, "Sydney!"

Her gaze shot up so suddenly it almost looked like I caught her off guard. "Yea?"

"Could you bring me some of those packets and wraps?"

She was up and over to us in just minutes. "Are you okay?"

I gave her a smile, "It's for Dimitri." I took the supplies and scattered them on the bed.

She shifted my hair back and moved the towel to examine my neck, "What about that?"

"It's nothing to worry about." I pulled back and shook my head so that my hair fell around my shoulders covering the wound.

Her face showed that it was something she would worry about. "Alright... If you're sure." She got up and started walking away.

"Sage." She turned to look back at me momentarily. "Thank you."

She nodded, "Any time. But don't take that as an offer."

I couldn't help but laugh because although she tried to play it off as a joke I am sure that she was partly serious. What kind of Alchemist wanted to help Us. No matter the situation, it was obvious to me that she would always isolate herself. I think I was the only one she came close to calling a friend. The only one she dared to slightly put her guard down for.

Dimitri was trying to act like the alcohol patches didn't hurt but from the gentle flinches I could tell it stung. I smiled still focusing on cleaning the cuts. "You okay there, comrade?"

He tried a smile, "I've had worse."

"That makes two of us." I looked back at Alek and the others. "Maybe more."

His smile wavered slightly, "I wouldn't think you've had worse than a near death experience except you have."

I shrugged, "It's because I'm so awesome."

That made him laugh. It was one of those real genuine laughs that rarely came out. "I guess I should have known that by now."

"I know, right? I thought that was one of my more appealing attributes in my characteristics." I sat up and posed haughtily.

Adrian laughed out, "That and you can obviously kick some ass."

Sydney chastened him for moving, "I think it's more likely your presence."

"My presence?" I was thrown off a little by her comment.

She nodded like she thought it was an obvious thing, "Well, yes. When you step into a room it's a dominant attention puller. You've got that feel of pure confidence. It's undeniable."

Adrian nodded, "Wise words. I can agree with you on that, Syd." I could have sworn Sydney was blushing but she turned away and started fumbling through things in the first aid kit.

"That's... actually really great of you to say." I didn't know how to respond to her. This was the first I'd ever heard her compliment any one of our kind. "Thank you."

She just shrugged, "It's just something I've observed while being around you."

Dimitri chuckled, "It's unmistakable. Sounds like Rose."

"Sounds like someone else is giving the Zen master words of wisdom today." I nudged him.

He just shrugged, "It's about time someone stepped in to assist me." He flinched again as I began cleaning another cut. "Ugh."

"Sorry." I blew lightly on the cut.

Alek was assisting Viktoria with cleaning herself up. Most of the blood was off her face and hands but there was still plenty on her upper arms and chest. "I think we should start heading back before the sun rises and gets higher."

"Why? None of us... oh." I stopped my sentence. Adrian was the only Moroi with us but the sun would still be uncomfortable for him. Plus it wouldn't help the condition he was already in.

Dimitri peered out the window and a soft beam of light shot through and lit his brown eyes. "It's already just above the horizon. I think we should wait."

"Until night time comes around again?" Adrian scoffed, "No. I am not staying in this crappy little hotel again. I'm tired, hungry and there's not enough room for all of us."

"Adrian. Be reasonable. It's for your sake." Dimitri closed the blind and dropped the heavy drapes.

He sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. "I don't mind being in the sun. I can handle it." He gestured around us, "This? This I can't."

Dimitri looked around at the rest of us and then back to undoubtedly confirm that the room was too small for all seven of us. "I cannot make this decision alone."

I nodded, "I'm okay with leaving if Adrian doesn't mind." He gave me a sly grin and nodded back. I looked at Sydney, "You?"

She shrugged, "I'm going wherever you all go. I don't really care so long as we're safe." She went back to helping wipe Adrian clean of blood.

Alek nodded, "Let's get going before the sun gets any higher." He held Viktoria's hand tightly in his.

That was more than enough to show the odds were in Adrian's favor. Sydney was sent out to get some fresh clothes for the few of us who didn't have anything not covered in blood. And I passed her some cash to get some food as well. Couldn't heal fast on an empty stomach. But we were prepared. Leaving for the train to take us back to Oksana's and Mark's place. It would take us a train and a few buses to get there but God willing we were going. The only thought still caught in the back of my mind was Gabe. What are we going to do with you?

By Shadow-Kissed Mori