I was woken in the morning by Adrian. He looked relieved to find me safe and sound in bed.

"Adrian what are you doing here?"

"Emmm just making sure everything was all right"

"Why wouldn't they be?"

"Well Dimitri was worried because you till haven't shown up for work. You're almost an hour late . . . . ."

"Ugh. . . .right . . . .thanks Adrian. . . If you don't mind could you take Mason to childcare for me seeing as I'm running so late?"

"Sure no bother"

"thanks, I'll fill you in later. . . . . .""

APOV

I woke up feeling unreasonably angry. I should be happy I'd had a great night with Jill. It had been full of innocent fun. So why was I so angry? Then it struck me I wasn't angry - Dimitri was. God this whole Shadow-Kissed stuff was a pain! I let down my barriers to see what had happened - just the bare essentials. I only wanted to know why I was so . . . .resentful. I did not need all the intimate details!

Dimitri was an internal ball of conflict. He regretted some of the things he had said (not that I tried to figure out what these were, they would tell me in their own time if required) but also felt as if they were justified by her actions. She called him over. She was the one that brought him back. She was the one that stopped him from returning Stirgoi. So why an earth did she reject him? Did she feel she had an obligation to save him from himself because of Mason, or did she truly care about him and if she did why would she reject him?

At this point Adrian tried to return to his own mind - he had no desire to stay in Dimitri's complex mind(in the best of times). He, himself never regretted pushing things to the back of his mind and leaving them there - the thoughts of such deep reflection depressed him. However Lissa's tone of voice caused him to remain, where he was for a little while longer.

"Dimitri. My office NOW"

"Sit. Where is Rose?"

"I don't know"

"Really were you not with her last night?"

"Briefly but I'm afraid Lissa that I do not know where Rose is - she's a single woman. She's free to do what she wants. I'm no part of her life"

"Hmpf. . . You're the father of her child, the love of her life yet you don't know why she hasn't turned up for work?"

"I said I didn't know where she was, not why she isn't here"

"Well then why isn't she here?"

"Lissa you know Rose even better than I do, I'm sure she's just slept it out. You know what she's like. Or maybe it has something to do with Mason"

"Female Dhampirs and their babies. She is part of the royal guard she cannot just not turn up for work"

"look Lissa there is no point whatsoever of giving out to me. I happen to be at work."

"Yes but your also the reason she's not at work"

"How so" he challenged her, fed up of her sassy attitude.

"A because the child is yours or B because you were over with her last night - you distracted her either way and such distractions could cost me my life!"

"Oh so your life is more important than Rose's"

"Oh please Dimitri I am Queen of the Moroi people. I am the pregnant Queen of the Moroi people - of course my life is more important. And don't try to give me any shit. You called her Rose - I know your not overly fond of her and her moods either."

"that's personal Lissa"

"So what she's always been in the most private parts of my life"

"Not always by choice and it's benefited you a lot more than it's benefited her"

"Oh so despite the fact she's rejected you again you're standing up for her?"

"no I'm standing up everybody you feel is inferior to you and your precious Moroi royalty"

"You know Dimitri apart from Rose you're the only one that's ever been so brazen and out of line with me. It hasn't done her any favours so I'd advise you forget about Rose and remember where your loyalties lie."

"Excuse me?"

"you heard me. Rose has been nothing but a bad influence on you. I'd advise you forget about her and return to one of the best Guardians the Moroi world has ever seen."

"your already worried about Rose, what do you think my leaving will do?"

"I'm not worried about Rose, I don't know why you would think that. I never said you were to leave. You will hold your position."

"You are worried about Rose otherwise you wouldn't have called me in just because Rose is late - you and I both know it is a rare occasion when Rose is actually on time - work included."

"I didn't call you in because I'm worried about Rose. I called you in to give you a heads up that it is important that you continue to be nothing but efficient from here on out or you'll end up just like her."

"Which is?"

"Fired."

"Lissa you can't just fire her because she's late. You and I know this job is all she ever wanted from life. You can't ruin this for her. You haven't even given her a chance to explain herself."

"Actually Dimitri I can do whatever I like. I am Queen. I choose who works for me and who doesn't - no body can question my reasoning."

"So that's it. She's no longer working for you?"

"Well once she leaves my office"

"but she's one of the best Guardians you can find."

"But your better"

"So"

"So I can only have one of you obviously I choose you."

"And if I don't want to work for the Royal Guard. . . . . "

"That won't happen, it's what every good Guardian aspires to be."

"Believe it or not some of us are a little bit more complex than that."

"I don't care Dimitri. You will stay. You are better. You are punctual. You will stay because I say so."

"Fine if that's how you want it, your majesty"

And he left. Adrian also returned to his own head and sprinted over to get Rose out of bed. She was a mess but she really couldn't afford to be any more late.

Shit. Rose thought. I've never been this late. Lissa's gonna kill me. She made it over to Lissa's headquarters in record time but she was too late.

"Rose, my office NOW" Lissa commanded