DISCLAIMER: I - SADLY- DO NOT OWN VA OR ANY OF IT'S CHARATERS, RICHELLE MEAD - LUCKY BITCH - DOES. I REALLYREALLYREALLY WISH THAT I OWNED AT LEAST DIMITRI, THOUGH.

Chapter 2

"Hey, Old Man." I said as he came to stand in front of my cage.

"Hello, Rose." He greeted me. "I came to discuss the matter of your trial. It's in four days time, remember?" he asked.

"Don't patronise me, Old Man."

"Then don't call me Old Man."

"Fine." I grumbled. He smiled in defeat. "Zmey." I mumbled quickly. The look on his face indicated that he didn't appreciate that nickname, either.

"Can we have some privacy?" he asked my guards. They mumbled and walked through the heavy double doors. They obviously knew Abe well enough to know that he could handle himself. He began, "Well, I think I might have some evidence that could get you off the leash."

"Serious?" I exclaimed, lighting up and leaping off the bed. If there hadn't been bars in between us, I probably would've hugged him. "What is it?"

"You remember that note that boy Ambrose gave you at the hearing?"

"Yeah." I said. I'd actually forgotten about it, but now that Abe reminded me, I remembered it. It was from the Queen and she'd asked Ambrose to deliver it to me personally, should anything happen to her. It had basically said that she trusted me to look after Lissa, and keep her safe. It had also said that she wanted me to go and find the last living Dragomir. I remembered the words clearly now that Abe had brought it up:

"Vasilisa needs her spot on the Council, and it can be done. She is not the last Dragomir. Another lives, the illegitimate child of Eric Dragomir. I know nothing else, but if you can find this son or daughter, you will give Vasilisa the power she deserves. No matter your faults and dangerous temperament, you are the only one I feel can take on this task. Waste no time in fulfilling it."

She trusted me with this and had told me to share it with as few as possible. I hadn't been sure if Abe was one of the few I should tell, so I'd waited until we were out of the courtroom before showing it to him. I still wasn't sure, but I figured that it could be used as evidence. So I gave it to him, and told him not to let anyone else see it, or tell anyone else about it.

"Rose?" he asked, and I realised that while I'd been spaced out that he'd just explained himself. "Were you listening?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I said that if we can get Ambrose to testify that she'd given him this," he held up the note, "to give to you, we'd have quite a high chance of winning. And, of course, if we could get CCTV footage from the lobby of your building, then we'd have solid evidence…so long as Lord Ivashkov did arrive before the time of the Queen's murder. CCTV from inside her room would be even better. And, of course, Lissa would testify. She does know you better than anyone else, and you have your bond."

"No." I said.

"What?" Abe asked. He obviously didn't know what I was talking about.

"She doesn't know me better than anyone else. I know that she'd testify and she'd tell the truth, and she does know me better than almost anyone. But not everyone."

"Then who does? You've been best friend since kindergarten. Who else is there? Lord Ozera, Lord Ivashkov, Mia Rinaldi?"

"No." I contested. "Dimitri does."

"What? You've only known him for what? Six months? A year? How can he know you better than the people who've known you all your life?"

"Yes. I haven't known him for that long, but I've spent a lot of time with him and he does know me better. We just had…I don't know…a connection. I don't know why but we do. And I know him just as well as he knows me." Abe just stared at me. He didn't know I was going to give a speech. I was getting louder as I went on and on. He opened his mouth to speak but I interrupted. "And, when we went to that warehouse, I led everyone, not from what I'd heard in Lissa's mind, but from how well I knew him, and that's how he knew that I was there in Lissa's head. He knows me just that well and he knows that I wouldn't do anything like that."

I could feel that my cheeks were flushed. By the end of my speech I was yelling. Thank god the guards had left.

"If you're done, I was going to say that we only need someone who knows you well enough to know how you work, and we could ask them. Also, all of your friends could give us some insight as to how you would orchestrate such an event and if their stories all match, then that'd be pretty hard evidence."

"Oh." I mumbled, embarrassed. "Well, I didn't know that you were going to come out with something like that, now, did I?"

"How little you know me." He murmured to me.

"Well, you've hardly been around for me to get to know, have you?" I retorted. Yes, I was a smartass, but I didn't care right now. I was sick of this place.

Abe just looked at me, and said, "Well, we're still searching through the Queen's room and seeing if there's any secret security footage in there. Remember, Rose, don't give the guardians such a hard time. Not all of them believe in you, so don't give them any more ammunition."

"Sure thing, Old Man." When I saw the look on Abe's face I couldn't help a tiny grin.

He walked out and in came the guardians, and with them, Dimitri. I realised that these weren't the same five guardians that had left when Abe was in here. These were Dimitri's guards. Although I was always happy to see him, I couldn't help a tiny twinge of resentment. I didn't let myself hope that he'd come to apologise. Instead, I went and sat on my bed.

"Rose—"he started, but I couldn't let him continue. One word and it was already starting to break my heart.

"Why did you defend me the other day, Dimitri? I thought you didn't love me anymore." I began. "It'd be a whole lot easier if you could just make up your mind about me, and then leave me to get over you."

"Rose, I'm sorry for the way I've treated you for these last few days. I was just unsure of myself, yet so certain that it'd be better for you if I left you alone. I just didn't want to hurt you anymore than I already did…when…you know, and you just drive me insane at times, Rose; I had to be sure that I was safe before I could be around you. I didn't know if there was still the monster in me, or if Lissa had successfully healed me of that. I just really, really didn't want to hurt you. And no matter about what you might think, I do care about you, Rose."

"Well it would help if you'd figured that out before I got locked up. That could've saved e a lot of hassle. And my brain was really starting to hurt these last few days. With nothing to do, I tried to think why you fought for me three days ago." I informed him. "you know, I've just about gone crazy these last few days," I said, standing up and walking over to him, "trying to figure out your motivations." I was standing right in front of him now. "Now, if there's anything you owe me, it's the truth, and I want to know one thing." He nodded, obviously knowing where I was going with this. "Do you still love me?" I asked; I swallowed, waiting for what came next.

He put his hand through the bars, and caught mine. "Always, Roza. I'll always love you, no matter what you believe. I can't not love you. Even when I was Strigoi, I think I loved you a little. Of course, those feelings were overpowered by the possessiveness that consumed me with you, but there was always the ghost there; I always loved you." He explained. And I just about passed out with happiness. "I've got to go and see Lissa right now, but I'll come see you when they find you innocent. And believe me, Roza, they will."

"Hey, one more thing," I said as he'd turned to walk away. He turned back to me. "How'd you get in here?"

"I just asked, Roza." He said with half a smile.

"I love you." I reminded him.

"I love you, too." He said, and I could see from the light in his eyes that he meant it. Pleasure filled me and for a moment I thought I was going to cry. But then I managed to maintain my composure and smile at him.

And with that, he walked away, and I lay down on my bed, suddenly feeling tired. I slipped into Lissa, and saw Dimitri approaching. Then I fell into a deep sleep, surprised to find Adrian there.

We were on the beach that I had gotten to know well these last few days. He'd come to me these last two days, but I didn't expect him to come three days running. This was where he'd brought us, and he'd dressed me in a red bikini top and cut-off denim shorts. I was also wearing my nazar and the chotki that Lissa had given me for Christmas. Sure, I'd given it back to her the day I'd left for Russia, but these always appeared in these dreams.

"Adrian!" I explained, elated. "Three days in a row. I'm impressed, Mr. Ivashkov. Is the waking world really that boring without me there?"

"The waking world is nothing without you. And how comes you're so happy?" he asked, suspicious.

"They let me have visitors, today. I have to say, I was shocked at first, but it was only Abe and he's my lawyer and I suppose they can't deny him access. But then Dimitri came and I was kinda shocked by that, too, but he didn't really say much, just that he had to talk to Lissa about something." I explained, as hyper as a kid locked in Disneyland overnight. He laughed.

"That's good. Lissa's been itching to see you, and I think even Christian misses your beautiful face. We'll try come see you tomorrow, but they might only let one of us in. You know how they are, tight bastards." He muttered the last part.

I walked over and hugged him, saying, "I hope that they at least let you in." before letting go. He laughed and kissed me on the forehead.

"Can't wait." He murmured before kissing me again, this time in the lips. "I miss you so much, little dhampir." I rolled my eyes at the nickname he came up with the first time we met. I suppose it's like Comrade. Just a little bit random and a little bit irritating.

"I'm sorry, I have to go, but I'll see you tomorrow." He kissed me once more before the dream dissolved into the usual blackness of sleep.

I woke up many times during the night, and when I finally woke up, I found Adrian and Lissa at the bars of my cell. They seemed shocked at the state I was in; they didn't seem happy to see me, they just looked horrified. It was like they hadn't even seen me, just the cage that I was in.

"Hey!" I yelled. Their eyes shot to me in the same instant. I was overjoyed. I knew Lissa was, too, as I felt her elation through the bond. I could see from the light in Adrian's eyes that he was over the moon. He looked about ready to burst. I could tell that there was something they were hiding; the same emotions that were on Adrian's face were coming through the bond loud and clear. I stood up and walked to the bars. "God, I missed you guys so much." I said, really wishing that I could hug them. "What is it that you can't wait to tell me, Liss?"

"Okay…get ready for it…they found the Queen's will. You were on it. It says she trusts you and she wanted you to be my guardian." Lissa said the words all in one long string after the initial hesitation, and she just about ripped off mine and Adrian's ears with the pitch. She was so excited about it that the squealed the whole sentence at an impossible octave.

"Jeez, Liss," I said rubbing my head. "Could you repeat that in a note that people can actually hear. I'm pretty sure that even a dog couldn't have made out the words there."

She laughed and then spoke in a regular voice. "They found the Queen's will and it basically said that she trusted you with her life and she wanted you to be my guardian. So I'm going to ask the council if they can release you until the trial, because if you're my guardian, then I shouldn't go anywhere without you, really, even if the court has more wards than really is necessary." She grimaced at the last few words, because we had recently learned that if magic was done by the wards, then they could break.

"Liss, thank you, but I think it's probably best to just leave it. I mean, the trial's in four days anyway, so it's not that long, and they might think you're trying to help me escape. So they probably wouldn't allow it. Thank you for thinking of me, though."

"It's okay, Rose." Lissa smiled at me. I knew she wanted nothing more than to keep me safe right now. She's the best friend anyone could ask for. "And Ambrose is going to testify, 'cause he was the one who gave you that note. That'll make them go easier on you. 'Cause Ambrose was pretty tight in with the Queen, and Abe says that if he says that the queen told him to give it to you."

"That's great, Liss. Thank you." It was then that I realised that Adrian had yet to speak. "Adrian? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Rose. It's just that you said that Belikov was here." Oh, shit. "What exactly did he say to you?"

"What? Dimitri came? That's great, Rose." Lissa said. I knew that she was truly happy for me, but I knew that Adrian didn't feel the same way. "What did he say?" Lissa asked, extremely curious.

"Nothing, he just, um, came and wished me luck for my trial." I lied badly.

"You're lying, Rose. What did he say?" Damn. I thought I'd fooled him.

"Fine. He apologised for the way he'd been acting." I said, but knowing Adrian, and he was sober at this point in time, he would pick up that there was something I wasn't telling him.

"And what else?" Ah, shit.

"W-well," I stammered, "he admitted that he'd loved me the whole time and that it was just that he scared himself that he didn't want to be around me because I can really wind him up without meaning to and he though he might turn Strigoi on me at any moment and he didn't want that." After my initial hesitation, I told him everything in one breath without stopping. He looked so sad, I wished that I could take it all back, and make him forget that Dimitri had ever come here. "Adrian, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, Rose. You can't help how you feel, can you." He turned and walked away. I turned to Lissa.

"Can you tell him that just because I love Dimitri doesn't mean I want to break up with him. I still want it to work with him. The problem is that I suppose I just never thought that I could love him as anything more than a brother. Besides you, Liss, he is my best friend. Just tell him that, please." Lissa nodded, then smiled at me and followed after him.

God, my life is so fucked up, I thought to myself.

A/N: CHAPTER THREE IS GOING TO BE THE COURTROOM SCENE. I AM HALF WAY THROUGH AND AM OUT OF I DEAS AS TO WHAT COULD HAPPEN. COULD YOU PLEASE HELP ME!