AN: Again apologies for any gramma, spelling or mistakes regarding the VA world. I hope you enjoy and please review :)
I had been dreading the start of the new school week much like a teenage girl dreads a bursting red pimple on the day of her prom. For the last few days I had been recovering from my one on one with Nazi guardian Davies which had left me black and blue, thankfully those nasty little war wounds were fading into my skin, with random yellow splotches of the bruises only remaining. I had also been doing a great impersonation of a CIA agent on a black ops mission, sneaking into the shadows of the school to avoid a certain favourite guardian of mine. My shrieking outburst had left me completely red faced and squirming in my white Nike sneakers.
Of course, a part of me felt like I had a justified reason for being a little ticked off. After all, he had known that Tasha Ozera, Christian's aunt, the physically scared yet beautiful woman who had offered Dimitri a once in a lifetime opportunity to become her guardian which came with fringe benefits was coming to the academy to teach, indefinitely. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that I was feeling a little threatened by her presence. Okay maybe a lot threatened.
Then to top off my insecurities I was sporting some serious weird black mojo which made PMT look like kittens and puppies. Adrian's comment about how darkness surrounded me continued to haunt my thoughts, of course I knew that outcome of such darkness, cue in one ranting, slightly psychotic teenage girl who looks, sounds and dresses like me. But who could I talk to about these random fits of rage that I was suffering from? The school's shrink? That old bastard hated me. Headmistress Kirova? Yeah, that would be one hell of a bonding session! She wouldn't believe me; she'd even think that I thought this entire thing up so it could be used as a get out of jail free card. Lissa would worry too much and blame herself which would more than likely lead to a downward spiral causing her to start cutting herself again. Adrian was usually too medicated or too drunk to partake in a meaningful conversation – not to mention I wouldn't even go down that road, he would find a way to use my situation to his advantage on his quest to get me naked. Mia was a no-go simply because if things changed between us she wouldn't hesitate to use the information against me and Christian, well if I wanted a sarcastic comment then he was my go to guy.
Then there was Dimitri. Even after my childish outburst he would still take the time to listen to me, both out of his duty as my teacher and out of love, or whatever it was he felt for me.
"Miss Hathaway."
I turned in my white sneakers and found myself face to face with Guardian Davies who was still sporting a black eye from our encounter a few days earlier. Apparently he didn't know about Vitamin K cream.
"The AGCT class has been suspended until the end of the school day." A small grin was playing at his lips as he informed of the change of schedule. In that way he was unlike his fellow guardians who usually kept a stiff upper lip during working hours.
"Why?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.
"It needs to be near dawn before we go on our excursion." He was looking at me in a very impish way.
"We'll still be doing advanced guardian combat techniques though, right?" I asked, hopeful. The need to get physical with someone was overwhelming; it helped keep the unexplainable dark rages at bay for a while probably because the anger was being channelled through my fists.
"Yes. Remember to bring your training mitts and dress appropriately." He watched my confused reaction and specified, "No gym clothes. We'll be venturing out of the school grounds during the day so take that into consideration." Having a conversation with him was different from having a conversation with the other guardians; he was more laid back and less rigid with his words and his body language. "We're meeting in the gymnasium at approximately six am."
That meant I could get a quick shut eye before our little adventure in the unknown. "Anything else?" A part of me, a large part was hoping that he would tell me to consider which weapon I would like to take with me.
"Yeah," His frame stiffened and his eyes became hard. "You're late for your session with Belikov." I remembered quickly that he disliked novices being tardy for class.
I nodded and turned to continue my way towards the gymnasium. Before running into Davies, I had had no intention of turning up for my required early morning training sessions with Dimitri. Instead I was going to run a few laps around the school field to kill some time before classes started. However the news of a field step not only put a skip into my step, it also put me instantly into a better mood. Goodbye PMT and hello mysterious outing.
Pushing on the double doors to the gymnasium, I stepped inside. The lights were on and the practice dummies were out which meant that Dimitri was about somewhere, probably brooding. He was such a good brooder.
Walking further inside, I threw my school bag across the room and watched as it hit the wall and quickly fell to the floor. Stepping onto one of the work out mats, I turned my back to the door and began to stretch.
Five minutes later, all warmed up and ready to rock I glanced over to the double doors and watched as Dimitri walked in. The apology that was hanging on the tip of my tongue abruptly disappeared back down my throat as Tasha walked in behind him.
"Rose!" Her voice was warm and welcoming. Quickening her step she walked past Dimitri and across the gymnasium towards me. "It's so lovely to see you again." She stopped short a foot away from me, how wise of her.
"It's nice to see you too," I lied. My voice and fake smile gave nothing away, my sentiments seemed sincere.
"I hope you don't mind me crashing your session, but I had mentioned to Dimitri that I would love to see a guardian in training in action." She turned and looked up at Dimitri, whose dark brown eyes were on mine. "He mentioned that you might have skipped this morning's session, but I'm glad you haven't!"
It took a titanic effort to keep my smile in place, but I did, shockingly. "Well, I haven't been feeling myself lately." I admitted honestly, a little vulnerability showing through my façade. "But I'm ready to kick some ass."
"Maybe…"
"No, I'm ready." I interrupted Dimitri and turned around to walk towards the end of the work out mat. God knows I was ready. Ready to fight.
Tasha made her way across the gymnasium and sat down at the desk which Dimitri often watched me practice from. Instead of moving to the other side of the mat, Dimitri crossed the large workout mat to me. His eyes no longer looked into mine, but instead were examining my exposed body. My cheeks warmed as a blush escaped, feeling his eyes on me.
"How are the bruises?" He sidestepped around me, very gently lifting the side of my arms to inspect the yellow bruises. To a watchful eye, Dimitri looked like a concerned teacher but us it was much more than that.
"They're healing." I responded coolly, trying my hardest to ignore the chaos that was happening inside of my stomach, the result of his touch. He circled my body and once again stood in front of me, his 6'7 stature leaning over me. My eyes hardened despite my quickening heartbeat. "I'm ready for a few more."
Tasha made her excuses and left halfway through the session stating that she needed to getting ready for her first class. Dimitri and I continued our one on one spar and for the better part of it I had remained professional. As usual we stopped so he could tell me what I was doing wrong or what I could be doing better and I applied his notes to my attacks and as usual he was right.
Dimitri had me in a headlock with my body bent over at an angle. "In this position," He began but instead was stopped from the impact of my foot in his face. It was a move that I had picked up during my and Lissa's time away from the academy. While Lissa slept during the day, I killed time by watching various TV shows. His grip loosened slightly giving me the perfect opportunity to break away from the headlock and to get back in a fighting stance.
I looked over to the clock on the wall; it was five minutes past the end of our session. "Are we done here?" I asked, defiantly.
"No, Rose." Dimitri recovered from my blow almost instantly and stood up straight. "We're not done here."
"Well I'm going to be late for my next class…" Or not. I paused remembering that my AGCT class had been postponed until the end of the day. Instead of asking him what he meant, I turned around and walked across the classroom towards my black satchel bag, determined to get the hell out of the gymnasium and away from him.
In an instant he was in front of me, his face no longer holding that hard, impenetrable, professional expression. "We need to talk…"
"About how cosy you were looking with your apparent BFF?" I shot back instantly with my usual quick wit. "Thanks, but I think I'll pass."
"I'm worried about you, Rose."
I looked up into his deep dark eyes and wanted to completely lose myself in them. "Worried in what way?" I asked curiously, trying to determine which role he was in at the moment, mentor or ….whatever we were.
His hand reached forward and stroked the side of my face. Okay, I guess that answered that question. A half smile touched his lips as his eyes swallowed me whole.
"I'm just-" I closed my eyes, beating back the tears that wanted to escape. I could go for the whole I'm tired excuse, but I doubted he'd buy that. Opening my eyes, I stared back up at him my vision blurred from the captured tears. "I've got like a constant case of PMT," I slapped myself internally, great way to word it, Rose! "One minute I'm fine, I'm myself and the next I'm bitching you out for no good reason" I doubled back, "well not no good reason, I mean you could have told me that she was coming…" I managed to stop myself before beginning another unjust rant. "See!"
Dimitri arms snaked around my waist, hugging me to his body. My head rested against his covered chest as the tears began to fall freely from my eyes. "Everyone has light around them, except for you. You have shadows. You take them from Lissa." I muffled Adrian's words into Dimitri's chest, as once again my irrational hormones took over everything else.
--
I hated admitting defeat. But my little breakdown with Dimitri had been my downfall, at least that's the way I looked at it. He had cancelled the rest of my classes for the day and hauled me off to meet with Dr Richard Balder, the school's shrink. Dimitri of course had brought me here out of concern for my well being; apparently my ominous statement had pushed his worry from 0-60 in less than two seconds. Having a catch up with the quack wouldn't have been so bad if it was just the two of us, but my little breakdown was going to be a crowd pleaser. Kirova, Dimitri, Dr Olendzki and for some reason unknown to me Tasha Ozera were all here to watch the drama unfold.
"Miss Hathaway…"
I stared across the desk at Dr Balder and grinned, "Doc, it's been too long."
"Yes," He didn't return my grin, instead he glanced down at the thick file sitting on his desk. I had to his office several times in the past, usually just to have a little fun by claiming various psychiatric problems. "Still seeing dead people?" He eyed me through the top of his glasses.
Before hightailing it out of the academy with Lissa two years ago, we had watched along with the rest of the class the Sixth Sense which while an entertaining movie was also new material for me to work with. "Sadly no," I decided it would probably be best not to turn and see the expressions of those sitting behind me.
"So what is it today?" He asked closing the file and regarding me sceptically.
"I missed your company," I retorted before being tutted from behind. "Fine… okay, so I have a friend.." I paused, "Well he's not actually a friend…he's more of an unwanted acquaintance who has this ability to be a complete and utter pervert and stalk people's dreams…" I turned my head slightly and glanced over my shoulder at the adults sitting in the back of the room, my eyes met Dimitri's. That was something he didn't know. Guiltily I turned my attention back to the head case Doc. "anyways so he dream hopped into mine and made some comment about how I was a freak because everyone's surrounded by light and I'm the only one who's covered head to toe in shadows." I sat back in the chair and placed my hands behind my head, waiting for his analysis. Having put the breakdown behind me, the vulnerable Rose Hathaway was missing in action and instead fun loving Rose Hathaway was out to play. "So what's your verdict, Doc? You gonna fit me up with a one piece jacket and throw away the key?" I asked referring to a straight jacket.
Dr Balder looked back down at the close file and stared intently at the front page, as though it would give him the answer. Or maybe he was just hoping that I would crack under the pressure and confess to making it all up. "You suffer from a blood bond, with Miss Dragomir, is that correct?"
He looked back up at me and I nodded.
"Then dare I guess that the person you supposedly take shadows from is her highness?"
It pissed me off when they used titles like that. Surely it was too archaic? Again I nodded, wondering where all of this was leading.
Dr Balder sat further back in his chair, obviously having decided that I was for once inside of his office because of something real. "There had been studies…" He paused trying to find his words. "Not much is known about the blood bond, it's been a century or two since one has been reported and even the past cases haven't been thoroughly documented." Apparently I wasn't the only one interested in this topic. "Do you have any symptoms? Have you been acting any differently than you usually do?"
I thought of a quick retort but decided to shelve it just for now, besides I probably wouldn't get applauded for playing around. "I'm bitchier than usual," I admitted.
"Anything other than a symptom of being a teenage girl?" he asked condescendingly.
"I've been suffering from uncontrollable outbursts," I thought back to bitching out Dimitri a few nights back and shuddered silently. "It feels like there's darkness or something inside of me which is fighting to get out."
"Are there any particular times when you feel like this?" He asked, "During times stress?"
"More when I'm annoyed or angry" Like I was beginning to feel; with the twenty question interrogation.
"And these feelings usually subside during your training sessions?"
"Usually" Unless my mentor brings a tag along in form of one of his lady friends, I added silently. The room was quiet after my response, the doctor sitting opposite me was more than likely contemplating how to get me quietly into a straight jacket.
"Are there any other symptoms?"
"What, that not enough for you cowboy?" I asked through gritted teeth.
"Miss Hathaway…" Kirova chided me from behind.
Rolling my eyes, I stared the good doctor down and waited silently for his diagnosis.
Dr Balder took the glasses off of his face and dropped them to the table, his hands going straight to his scalp which was seriously lacking hair. "I honestly…don't know what we're dealing with. It's obvious that her outbursts of rage are connected with her blood bond," No shit Sherlock.
"Hey, can you stop talking about me and start talking to me?" I moved on my chair and blocked his view to the headmistress.
"If you don't mind me saying," Tasha interrupted, "I think the best thing for Rose would be to keep channelling her rage through her training sessions as it seems to be working?" She wasn't making a statement she was asking me whether or not the sessions were helping. I didn't bother to turn in my chair, instead I just nodded.
"That's hardly a resolve to the situation," That did make me turn in my chair. Dimitri, who always kept his cool, was shooting Tasha a disapproving glare.
"If you let me finish," Tasha smiled kindly at him ignoring his glare and looked directly at me. "Rose, I'd like to have a few sessions with you to see if we can find a way to control your…" She paused, finding her wording "emotions, because that's what they are."
"I'm afraid that these outbursts may only be just the beginning." The shrink added, "Or they may not be. I insist that Rose should see me at least once a week so we can track this atypical issue."
"Great so on top of my class schedule and getting prepared for the upcoming trials, I also have to have weekly visits to the see shrink… well that's just great!" I spat back sarcastically. Tasha's offer to help me with control was understandable, she had obviously mastered in long ago. If she hadn't well then I probably would have been set alight at Christmas after my rude behaviour towards her.
"I'll see you next Monday, Miss Hathaway."
I glared at Dr Balder and stood up from the chair, having been clearly dismissed.
"I'll meet with you later Rose to discuss when you'd like to begin our sessions." Tasha threw me another warm smile.
Dimitri followed me out of the shrinks office and walked silently by my side. The hallways were deserted due to everyone else being in class. "I cant believe you sold me out!"
Dimitri continued his silence as we walked.
"I mean really? Dr Balder? The man hates me with a passion!"
"He's looking out for your best interests." He turned and regarded me, "We all are."
"If I didn't have this secret black ops mission to look forward to later than I would so use my inner rage to go all psycho Rose on you." My words were harsh but my tone wasn't, it was more playful than anything.
He scowled.
"I was kidding…"
"It's not that." He stopped in the hallway and looked down at me from his ridiculous height. "It's the AGCT field trip…" He didn't say anymore, instead he continued on his path. I followed behind him, trying to figure out his cryptic response.
"Couldn't I have just had extra self control training with you?" Surely keeping my hands off of him in a non professional way during our training sessions was the best way to learn self control?
"Tasha's a good teacher and despite your reservations she has mastered her control, more so than anyone I've ever met." Of course he put himself into that category, our kiss in the gymnasium back before Christmas was enough proof of his lack of self control.
"Still it'd be more fun with you."
--
At lunch all anyone could talk about was the newest teacher to the academy fold. Obviously Christian was happy to have his aunt at the school but so was Lissa and Mia. The three of them were talking animatedly as I approached the table about how they couldn't wait for the first lesson. Sitting down beside Mia, I threw my black satchel onto the table top.
"Where have you been?" Lissa looked at me, her light jade eyes searching for an answer. I should have sensed her concern earlier but my own obscured feelings were overpowering our blood bond.
"It had been a while so I thought I would pay Balder a visit," I decided to skip the details; there was no sense in her worrying her with all of this.
"Rose," She sighed, "What was your excuse this time?"
"Oh I decided to go off the books with this one…where's your stalker?" I asked looking around the school courtyard for Adrian, hoping that would deter her away from the current topic of conversation.
"I think you mean your stalker!" She rolled her eyes and pulled her long blonde hair back into a high pony tail. "He's with the feeders."
"Jealous? Wishing it were you?" Christian piped in, which resulted in an elbow in the ribs from Lissa. Christian's attitude towards me had gone past our usual snarkieness and straight into vicious.
"What's your problem, Ozera?"
"You…you're my problem." Christian pushed back from the table causing the chair to scrape loudly against the floor. He stood up and glared down at me. "You're always there!" He complained.
Pushing back on my chair and making the same loud scrape against the floor, I stood up from my chair. "Well you could solved this problem weeks ago." I clenched my hands together into tight fists and rested them against the table, leaning over it slightly. "Next time the school's getting attacked, turn up thirty seconds later, I'll be dead, Lissa will be fine and you'll have saved the day! I mean that's the problem right? You hate that I'm the one saving Lissa, you wanna be her knight in shining armour!" I guessed.
"You don't know what you're talking about," He spat back at me and without another word skulked off out of the courtyard.
Looking down at Lissa, I frowned. "Get your boyfriend on a leash otherwise I'm gonna put him down."
I walked away to cool down.
--
Dress appropriately he had said. It was 5.45am and here I was standing in front of a mirror in almost pitch black trying to determine what to wear. We were going off of campus during daylight hours which meant possible interaction with normal people. "Dress appropriately." It had taken my twenty five minutes to apply some make up and pull my hair back into a neat pony tail, which showed off my molnija marks. There was no way I was going out in sweats, no makeup with worn and torn trainers especially when there was a possibility Dimitri would be there too. It may have been shallow but I figured whatever we were going to be doing for our class outing wasn't going to be affected if I was looking a little nice.
I got dressed pretty quickly, opting for a pair of black skinny jeans, a black tank top and black knee high boots with steel capped toes. They were comfy and despite the heel, I could pretty much do anything in them; walk, run and fight.
By the time I arrived at the gym, everyone else was already inside. Everyone was dressed in jeans and various top, including the guardians.
"Late again Miss Hathaway," Guardian Davies spoke up and appeared in front of the novices. "It seems we're going to have to break that nasty habit of yours…another time." He turned back and faced the other novices, and continued. "Alright listen up! We'll be driving to Missoula to take part in a two part exercise. The first part will test your observational skills…the second part will test your practical skills. You will be partnered with other novices, your objective will be to track down and eliminate your enemy."
"And who's that?" Dave, a fellow novice asked.
He motioned around to the other guardians in the room. A cry of "YES'S" echoed through the room. For them it was payback. For me it was still practice. If we could beat them or at least hold our own, it meant that we were ready for the trials. It meant that I was one step closer to becoming a guardian.