"So how long have you been watching me?" Gabe was leaning forward. Focused fully on the old lady. She still hadn't given out her name. Or revealed the whole story.

She smiled and her wrinkles gathered under her brown eyes. "For some time now. How did that charm treat you?"

He instantly reached for the silver ball still hanging on a chain around his neck, "It was a huge help at times." He ran his thumb over it and it gleamed in the moon light.

"You still haven't clarified who you are or why you've been following Gabe." Dimitri had taken to standing and let the woman sit in his place.

She just kept her smile, "I believe that's because I haven't told you."

I rolled my eyes, "Do you always speak with cryptic messages or is it just for us?"

This made her laugh out. It was a scratchy yet warm laugh. Something you'd expect from an old lady who possibly smoked through the years. "Does it bother you, Roza?"

My mind swam with questions. So I picked the obvious one first, "How did you know about us?"

"We know plenty about all of you." She looked around at us and rested her eyes on Gabe. "But you were the main concern."

"We?" Gabe leaned closer to her. Eagerness written all over his face. It was strange watching how human he was now compaired to when he was Strigoi just a few days ago.

She nodded, "The Watchers."

I was dumbstruck, "The Watchers? What exactly do you all do?"

"I am not at liberty to discuss our business with Your kind." She looked around at all of us again, "Any of Your kind."

Adrian scoffed, "Then why reveal yourself?"

She smiled again, "When I saw Gabriel in his human form I almost couldn't believe it. So I wanted to keep an eye on you." She clasped her hand over his. He didn't seem to notice. "Then when I saw the opening I decided to come and see it up close. To satisfy an old woman's curiousity."

"So you just wanted to meet me as a human?" He was still staring intently at her.

"Well I had already met the Strigoi Gabriel. As a grown human man you seem much more... familiar now. Before you were a wall of stone." Her eyes glazed over like she was getting pulled away by a distant memory. But she quickly recovered.

He shook his head, "But who are you? Why pick me?"

She reached out and patted his cheek, "My child, I have known you since you were a young boy. I knew your mother as well."

His features changed dramaticallly. Shock would be the best way to describe it. "You knew my mother?"

"Of course. She sought my guidance on the days she could barely pull through. Up until the day..." She paused and gave him a sad look. "You know."

His expression saddened, "This is unbelievable."

"No, it's more than that. This is all just so surreal." Sydney sat on the curb and pulled her knees to her chest. She shook her head, "If there were any other groups associated with Moroi, Dhampirs or Strigoi the Alchemists would have known about them. We know nearly everything about Their world."

Adrian kneeled beside her, "Maybe they did know. They just didn't share it with the rest of the group. People always have their dark little secrets."

The old lady scoffed, "The Alchemists? Those fools should very well know about the Watchers. It was one of their kind that started our organization. A much smarter one of them though. He had the brains to leave. The rest were as trecherous as a two-headed snake."

Sydney's face went pale, "That's not true. It cannot be." She stood up and started backing away. "You're lying. You have to be."

I stood up to go after her but Adrian got to her first. He reached out and gently took her hand, "Sydney, it's okay. Calm down."

She looked like a trapped animal ready to bolt out of here, "Okay? Okay! How is this even remotely okay!"

"Have I upset you? I didn't intend to." The old woman's face was covered in frown lines.

She forced out an uneasy laugh, "I don't believe you. I don't believe any of this."

Her frown deepened, "I'm sorry if I have to be the one to break it to you but there's more to the history of the Alchemists than any of the founders will let someone your level know. You're probably just a seedling. They wouldn't tell you."

"This is... this is too much. I have to get out of here." She looked around with her eyes wide. Terrified was an understatement. She was on the verge of a melt down, "I have to go. I need to go." She started taking a few steps back and slipped on the curb.

Adrian caught her and pulled her into his arms. She stayed like that, pressed into his chest. Her hands covering her face and trembling. "Sydney?" His voice was so tender as he ran his hand over her hair. She didn't answer right away. Then she mumbled something that was muffled by Adrian's shirt. He looked down at her, "Syd?"

She looked up at him with tears welling up in her eyes, "Please? Can I please just go? I need to go."

He looked nearly as broken as she was. He exhaled lightly and nodded, "Okay." He looked over at us. "I'm taking her to Oksana's."

I nodded but I was still taken back by her reaction. This whole thing was freaking her out. Then again I would be having a melt down too if I was an Alchemist that had just learned the things she did. It was enough to make her views on Their world crumble. Someone had just bulldozered over the organization that she had given her life to. Adrian nodded. He wrapped an arm over her shoulders and they started walking off. They soon disappeared into the night.

"I really didn't mean to upset her." The old woman shook her head and frowned.

I wasn't sure just how to go about things but the fact was, "There are more important things right now." I felt like a jerk saying that but someone needed to show the priorities and if I had to take the initiative then it had to be done.

Dimitri agreed. "Like for one, who are you?"

She still looked sad that she caused someone such discomfort. Finally she sighed out loud, "Yana Arlovski."

"Yana?" Gabe said it like he was trying to place the name.

She smiled at his attempt, "You won't know the name. I doubt your mother mentioned me at home."

He looked disappointed, "But I met you before?"

"Yes, but you were too little to care for an old woman's name." She laughed softly.

I eyed her, "How old are you exactly?"

She laughed out, "What woman gives out her age?"

That made us all smile. True. No older woman liked giving out her age if it wasn't absolutely necessary. "That's fair."

"But why have you been watching me?"

She looked at him fondly, "As a favor for your mother."

He then replied deadpan, "Then where were you when I needed you?"

She tsked, "There was nothing I could do for you then. That's why I had that charm made for you. To help you keep in touch with your human side."

"And it bordered near torture." He pulled back from her, "To be reminded that I was Strigoi. My mind was constantly in a battle for my body. One moment, ashamed to be an undead creature then not caring the next. I'd have random flashes of the people's faces I've killed, their screams. And feel completely consumed by the hate I felt for myself and disgust for the lack of control I had over my own actions." He clenched his hands. "My human side loathed who I was. But I couldn't do anything about it. I nearly went insane."

She nodded, "But you didn't. Because that charm healed your fits of insanity. It pulled you back when you needed it."

He looked like he was at a loss for words. His eyes ran across the road and back to her face and up to Dimitri. Like he was searching desparately for an answer. "There were plenty of things I needed. None of which were given to me."

She patted his hand, "But now you're here. You're alive somehow."

"Not just somehow. And it wasn't by any miracle either." He looked down at me. "They saved me."

I smiled, "You should really be giving the praise to Adrian."

He smiled back, "But you stopped my immediate death." He looked at Dimitri, "And you plunged in the stake."

"The stake?" Yana eyed Dimitri. "You tried to kill him?"

He shrugged, "It's not what it sounds like. It's a long story."

Her eyes showed interest, "I had heard a few rumors about restored Strigoi but I didn't believe it until I saw Gabriel."

"Well believe it. He's one too." Gabe nodded towards Dimitri.

Yana stared at them both with a look of wonder. It was a fasinating thing to behold afterall. But it also gave away something, "You didn't know about the restoration powers of Spirit."

She shook her head, "No. Sadly I didn't. If I had don't you think I would have done something for Gabriel?"

I considered it. And she was right. She would have. Especially after hearing that she'd kept an eye on him all this time. "But you knew about charms."

"Yes. A friend of mine had come across one while watching Moroi toy with the newly rediscovered magic. She pocketed it of course so that Our group could examine it." She grinned. "She was a dear friend of mine."

"Where is she now?"

Her grin dropped, "She was taken from this world. When I had gone to grieve I had discovered that she'd left me the charm."

"Was this the same one you gave me?" He held up the silver ball.

She nodded, "Yes. A simple silver ball. Silver seemed to be the only thing that could hold the magic the longest. So I didn't doubt its power."

"Now about the Watchers..." I was persistant.

She laughed, "You are quite the head strong one, aren't you?"

"Yes, she is." Dimitri's and Gabe's voice were in unison.

It made her laugh intensify. I didn't find it that funny. In fact, it wasn't funny at all! there was just no way I was not that stubborn or head strong. I admit I had a hard time letting things go but was I really that bad?

I raised my voice, "That didn't quite answer my question."

She eyed me, "And no matter how you push, I am not at liberty to say our mission. Unless you are part of the Watchers or a head of Alchemists, then you have no need to know what we do."

My blood started to boil. I could feel my temper reaching its peak. Dimitri must have noticed because he was at my side in moments. He cupped my face and smiled down on me, "Calm yourself, Roza. Maybe it's best not to meddle into the affairs of some organization. It could mean trouble. And we have our hands full with that."

"You should listen to him." Yana stood up and stretched her limbs. She smiled at us, "Well I must be going now."

Gabe grabbed her wrist, probably more forceful than he meant to, "Wait." He released her, "I'm... I need some closure."

She shook her head, "Closure? Knowing you're mother and father loved you enough to ask Us to watch you isn't enough?"

He tried for a smile but it was failing, "That means more than you know. But why you?"

"Some things are better left unsaid." She ran a hand cross his face and grinned sincerely. "Будьте безопасны. Будь сильным, Gabriel." She turned her back to us and walked off, back into the shadows.

We all stayed silent on our way back to Oksana's. It wasn't necessarily an awkward silent but it was definitely uncomfortable. I couldn't tell what was going through Gabe's head. He looked lost yet relieved in some way. Then Dimitri was just staring off into space. Looking as pensive as ever. Which got me to thinking about what he might be thinking about. But of course I was easily distracted once Sydney came to mind. It must have been hard for her to hear those things about the Alchemists. No doubt it was probably still eating at her. But she had Adrian to lean on.

Speaking of Adrian, what was that whole thing about? They usually could barely even stomach having a conversation together and yet he was her hero tonight. He stepped in to comfort her and keep her safe. Although I was ready to calm her he had right there. He was the first to notice the signs. I guess he could be a great support to have when things got real.

When we walked in the house was silent but it smelled sweet. Oksana's house always had such a pleasantness to it. It could make anyone feel at home. I inhaled deeply to try to keep that memory. Cherish the little things. I felt a small flutter in my stomach and smiled to myself.

Oksana came out of the hall, "You're back safe." There was a smile in her eyes. "I've already sent Sydney and Adrian into a spare room. It's not much but..."

"It's enough. Thank you. For everything." I felt like reaching forward to hug her. She just had that friendly and secure feel to her. Something you'd feel for a mother.

She nodded, "Of course. It's the least I could do." She returned into the hall way and directed us to the room.

"Shhh." Adrian quieted us as we entered. He was sitting back on a chair across from where Sydney was sleeping. He pointed at her and motioned us to back up as he followed us out. He closed the door behind him slowly. "Finally found your way back, huh?" He grinned.

I nodded, "Yea." I looked over his should at the door to the room, "How is she doing?"

His grin flattened, "Well I was able to calm her down and get her to rest but she was still pretty shaken up." He looked down at the ground.

"I'm sorry."

He scoffed, "Why appologize to me? Sydney's the one that needs the comfort." He leaned against the door.

"But I saw how it affected you too." I rested a hand on his shoulder.

He shut his eyes, "I'm not too sure what you mean by that."

Dimitri laughed softly, "It's becoming more and more obvious that you care for her."

Adrian turned his face away, keeping his eyes closed. "I just... I can understand her. I could feel what she felt. She needs to be somewhere stable. This whole thing in Russia has her on edge."

"I can understand that." I pulled my hand back.

"I'm sure you think you can, Rose..."

"Adrian." Dimitri's voice managed to be firm yet gentle. But Adrian blew him off.

"But! The fact is you really can't. Otherwise, you wouldn't have her going into situations like that." He turned back to us and glared at Gabe. "He's going to bring trouble with him. And we're supposed to be keeping her safe."

I shook my head, "It's not as easy as just choosing one."

He forced a hard laugh, "Of course not! Because you just have to try to save everyone, right?" He turned his back to me. "Maybe you should have helped her first. She was supposed to be our first priority. She's the reason why we're all here. And he's the reason why we're now compromised." He opened the door and walked in.

"Adrian..."

He gave me a sharp look and put a finger to his lips. This conversation was over. And not by my choice. Adrian was hurt. If it was by me or the actions we have taken recently, I wasn't sure. But whether it was directly or indirectly caused by me it still felt like it fell on my shoulders to fix it. You just have to save everyone, right? Adrian's words couldn't have hit closer to home if he tried. I did want to keep everyone safe. And what's wrong with that? If they were innocent why couldn't someone help them? And as it stood both Sydney and Gabe were innocent. But maybe he had a point when he said we should have taken care of Sydney first. She was our number one priority. I hadn't even thought about what she might be feeling about this whole thing. Head strong, Rose. They were right.

There were cots layed out in the room. I took one close to the door. Dimitri layed beside me. He swept his hand across my forehead, "How are you feeling?"

I shrugged, "Does it really matter?"

He sighed, "Of course. No matter the situation, you are always in the forefront of my mind."

"But I shouldn't be." I closed my eyes to fight back the tears I could feel building up.

His fingers ran through my hair and I relaxed. "But you should be. You will always be my first priority, Roza."

I curled into a ball, "There are other people who need our protection. More than I need protection. It's not fair to tehm."

"And it's not fair to you that you keep putting others before yourself." He pressed his lips to my head. "There has to be a point where you take care of yourself too. Otherwise who's going to be the heroine?"

I smiled automatically. He had that effect on me. "I'm not always the heroine."

"In my story, you are." He pulled me into his arms and cradled me there. It felt perfect. It felt like home.

I fell into a deep sleep shortly. In fact, I don't even remember falling to sleep. Just that it was dark, quiet, and peaceful. Even if it was just for a moment. But it was quickly replaced by Adrian's dream world. Just as beautiful as I could remember it. The cherry blossums were in full bloom. Flowers fell from the trees and carried in the wind. The moon and sun were drooping by the horizon, just peaking over the waterfall. It was all so breath taking. I inhaled deeply and could catch a hint of the peonies that Adrian had added some time ago. This was an Eden.

"Enjoying yourself?" I opened my eyes and Adrian was watching me. His lean body resting against a tree. He wore a white button up shirt with some black slacks. Even from this distance I could make out how green his eyes were. Something about it made him look nearly angelic. All he was missing was a halo.

I shrugged like I was indifferent, "It's pretty great, I guess."

He laughed. "I guess." His face grew serious. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I shouldn;t have blown up in your face like that. It was uncalled for."

"No, I deserved it. You were right. I've been dragging Sydney along into my troubles when I should have been keeping her safe." I took a seat in the soft grass. I ran my hand over embracing the familiar feel. "It's really great of you to be watching over her like that."

He shrugged, "She needs all the help she can get." His gaze was far away. "She's kind of alone in this world now. At least that's how she feels."

"But she isn't. She has us." I have him a fond smile. "Especially you."

"Come on, Rose..."

I shook my head, "Don't think I'm that dumb, Adrian Ivashkov. I've seen how you look at her. How you act around her. You may try to cover it up with all your banter and smart ass remarks but the truth is you do really have feelings for her."

He plopped down beside me and layed back, "Would it make any difference if I did? She's a human. And not just any human, she's Alchemist. You know how her kind think of us."

"Her kind? If you haven't noticed, she's not exactly a cookie cutter Alchemist." I layed back beside him.

He was staring at the sky so intently, "But we both know the things she was taught. What laws were engraved into her mind. You cannot just turn your back on beliefs like that." He sighed heavily, "She can't."

"How do you know that? Have you asked her?" I turned my head so I was facing him. Even his profile was pretty incredible.

His brows furrowed, "No. And I don't plan to."

I propped myself up on my elbows, "And why not?"

"Because!" He sat up suddenly. "It's not that easy. If you saw her the way I did you'd understand."

I felt my temper rise, "Well I can't so why don't you just clarify things for me?"

He bent his knees and leaned forward on them, resting his head in his hands. "There are moments when she looks at me like I'm someone she can trust. Someone to lean on but then she snaps back. Like she just remembered that I'm an unnatural being. So she starts pulling away. But those little moments", he sighed. "Her aura brightens and glows so brilliantly. The colors warm and engulf you. It's almost euphoric."

"Like a bond?" I began to feel my heart warm as he continued to describe their connection.

"I guess. Kind of but not exactly." He ran his hands over his face, "It's hard to explain. She's like the sun. Bright, warm, and entrancing. But once it hits the horizon it starts to fade. And you plummet back into darkness." His hand found mine.

"Adrian..." I tried to pull away but his grip tightened.

He shook his head and smirked, "Just wait." He shut his eyes and a look of concentration took hold of him.

I gave in. Then I felt the warmth. It started building in my hand and started climbing into my chest. It was radiant and I felt so taken. It felt like my soul had been lit with a warm light. Everything was more... well, everything. The air was fresher, the sun was warmer, the grass was softer. It made everything more. Like an intensifier. When he released my hand and the feeling started to fade I started to feel an empty pit in my chest. That 'something' was gone.

"Do you get it now?" He was staring at me with those green. green eyes.

I nodded, "That was amazing." I felt my heart rise. "And Sydney makes you feel like that?"

He shrugged and displayed a smug smile, "When she's not pushing away."

"Then tell her! Stop being so stubborn." I wanted to reach out and shake him.

He scoffed, "You didn't hear that very important little part, did you?"

"Yea yea. She's an Alchemist and blah blah blah." I rolled my eyes. How could he hold back from something like that?

"Yea, well that 'blah blah blah' is important to her." He got up from his spot and dusted off his pants. "You're just too hard headed to get that."

I gaped, "I'm too hard headed? You're the one who won't admit his feelings for her. Just tell her how you feel. Show her how you showed me." I was nearly pleading with him. Why? I don't know. Maybe I just thought it's about time he found someone that makes him happy. And from what I was just shown she did that and more.

"It's just not that simple." He raked his fingers through his hair. "And why am I even discussing this with you?"

I scoffed, "Why not me? I'm your friend." I almost felt insulted.

He smirked, "And this isn't weird at all, is it?"

I shook my head but thought over it. Perhaps it was a little weird but who else was he going to talk to about it? "I didn't think it would be. Do you feel weird talking to me about it?"

"No." He said it so matter-of-fact that I felt my face flush. "Things tend to change. Slowly at first."

I smiled, "You mean to say things tend to mature."

He laughed. "No matter what you think, we have a kindred spirit in that we both will never fully mature."

"Not true!"

"True!" He stepped towards me and pressed the tip of his pointer on my head, "I will never stop with my incredible outrageous remarks and you will never grow out of being persistant." He smirked. "It's just in our nature."

I thought about denying the charges but knew better. He was right. No matter how I tried to go about it I was indeed the kind of person to never back down. And in some cases is was the only way to fix things. I just didn't have it in me. Not without some guidance from Dimitri. He balanced me out. He was the yin to my yang, so to speak.

But instead of giving Adrian the satisfaction of being right I just shrugged, "I guess the world may never truly know."

By Shadow Kissed Mori