A/N: Hey guys! So, here we are, the first chapter set in Saint John :D I'm so excited! Wow, I'm a nerd...meh, whatever.

Thanks so much to my three reviewers: Nicia, Rachel-rob-Sandwich and kittenxxkisses! You guys are awesome :)

Disclaimer: Again, I don't own Vampire Academy or any of its characters. They belong to the fabulous red-head, Richelle Mead. I only own my plot and a few characters :)

Anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter! It's the longest one so far ^ . ^

~ Sarah Odair ~

Chapter Four

We landed in Saint John a few hours later. Dad had people waiting for us, and they helped unload all of our things.

The drive to Millidgeville, the area of Saint John in which Dad lived, was uneventful. It was nice to see all of the familiar sights, though.

We arrived at Brigadoon Terrace soon after. That's where our house was; and, let me tell you, it was the most beautiful house I'd ever seen. A long, concrete and cobblestone driveway led to the house. It was a giant stone house, with a giant garage and an amazing view of the Kennebecasis River, not to mention a private beach. There were iron flower boxes under the windows, though they were empty since it was December, and the ground was heavily coated in snow. The many trees were bare as well.

We gathered our bags and made our way inside.

The inside was even more gorgeous than the outside; the majority of the walls in the house were paneled in maple wood, as well as all of the floors. There was a giant stairway that led to the turret and the rest of the second floor, as well as another that led to the basement. There were three bedrooms on the main floor, one in the turret, two on the other part of the second floor, and one in the basement. Dad's room was the master bedroom, situated on the main floor, mine was in the turret, Lily's was in the basement, and Cam occupied another on the main floor. The rest were for guests. Mine, Lily's and Dad's each had an ensuite bathroom, while Cam was stuck with using one of two guest bathrooms on the main floor.

We were splitting off to go to our rooms when Dad's phone rang.

"Mazur," he answered.

There was a pause as the person on the other end spoke, and Dad's expression turned to one of agitation.

"I'm home for all of two minutes, and there's already a problem?" he demanded.

I set my bags down as Dad listened to whatever the person had to say.

"Well, tell him that he's fired. Bring the other one in and we'll get him cleaned up," Dad ordered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Dad hit end and shoved his phone back in his pocket, sighing.

"What happened?" I asked. Lily and Cam had already left.

"One of the boys who shovel the driveway got in a fight with another one. This is the third time he's started a fight, and I'm tired of it. Can you take care of the other one? Clean him up?" he asked.

I nodded. "Sure, Dad. Go lay down; you look beat."

He kissed my forehead. "Thanks, Kizim."

"No problem. Now go, shoo."

He obliged, taking his suitcase to his room, closing the door behind him.

There was a knock on the front door, and I hastily opened it.

A boy, probably my age, stood there. He was dressed in a black full-body snowsuit. And damn, was he ever tall. He had gorgeous brown eyes, and dark brown hair that was tied at the nape of his neck.

And his nose was bleeding. His face was all cut up, and one of his eyes was swollen.

"Go on it and sit on the couch. I'll be right there to clean you up, okay?" I said, gesturing for him to enter. He nodded mutely and pulled his boots off, then made his way to the living room.

I threw his boots in the mud room and hurried to the kitchen, where I filled a kettle with water and set it on the stove to boil. I grabbed the first-aid kit from under the sink, washed my hands, and filled a plastic sandwich bag with some ice.

I walked slowly to the living room, where the boy was in the middle of pulling his snowsuit off. He wore a plain black long-sleeved shirt and faded jeans underneath. I almost drooled at the sight of his bulging muscles. How anyone had managed to beat him up, I didn't know. The guy was a beast.

He turned when he heard me enter the room, and I smiled warmly at him.

"Sit down," I said softly but firmly. He acquiesced, taking a seat on the comfy white sectional.

I sat next to him and handed him the ice, which he immediately pressed to his eye.

I got to cleaning his cuts and wiping the blood from his face. His nose wasn't broken, thankfully; he'd just been hit pretty hard.

I heard the screech of the kettle from the kitchen, so I got up to make the hot chocolate. I made it the right way; with two pouches instead of one. I'd learned that from an old childhood friend.

After putting a few marshmallows in each mug, I padded back out to the living room, where he stood in front of the fireplace, warming himself.

When he turned, I nearly dropped the hot chocolate. With the bloody face and swollen eye, I hadn't recognized him. And the fact that he was nine years older wasn't much help.

"Dimitri?" I questioned.

His brow furrowed, before realization dawned on him. "Rose?"

"Oh my God!" I squealed, setting the mugs on the coffee table and running to hug him tightly.

He returned the hug, squeezing me tight and lifting me off the floor. It hurt my back and my ribs, but I didn't even care. "God, I didn't even recognize you!" he exclaimed. "You just . . . you look so different now."

I grimaced. Last time he'd seen me, I was eight years old with a nasty bowl cut and I was stick-like, not to mention the fact that I had huge gaps in my teeth and an overbite. A big difference from what I look like now; my hair fell in curls to my waist, my teeth were fixed, and I was extremely curvy.

"The magic of braces and fast-growing hair," I replied, chuckling. "I didn't recognize you either; maybe it's the fact that you were all bloody, or maybe it's those giant muscles! You were a freaking bean pole when you were eight."

He laughed, a warm, rich symphony of sound. "The magic of the gym," he told me, grinning. "What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you lived with your mom."

My face fell. "Yeah, I did. Mom . . . she was killed last week. We live here now."

His eyes widened in surprise, and he pulled me in for another hug. "I'm so sorry, Rose. How are you?"

I sighed. "As good as I can be. I'm still recovering from a car accident, too. I don't really have the best luck," I replied, grimacing.

He grabbed the mugs of hot chocolate and led me to the couch. We sat down, and he handed me my mug. I tucked my feet under me and leaned on a pillow, facing him. I blew on my hot chocolate before taking a sip.

"I guess not," he said in agreement, taking a sip of his hot chocolate. "You were in a car accident?"

I nodded. "I had a bad concussion, as well as some broken ribs and a bruised spine."

"Ouch," Dimitri commented. "Well, I'm sorry for everything that's happened, Rose. I really am," he said, his chocolate brown eyes meeting mine. I'd never really noticed how pretty they were; looking closely at them, you could see little strips of gold. I felt like I could drown in them.

"Thanks," I murmured, laying my head on his shoulder. Then, I thought of something. "Dimitri, what high school do you go to?" I asked.

"St. Mac's. Why?"

I grinned. "Just wondering. I happen to go there, too."

A smile tugged at his lips. "Really?" he asked.

"Yeah, I made sure of it. I'd rather not go to Saint John High or Harbour View," I replied, fake gagging.

He laughed. "Don't forget Simonds," he added, grinning.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, smart-ass."

He gasped in mock-shock. "Did I just hear Rose Mazur swear?"

I grinned impishly. "Maybe. You'd better get used to it, Belikov."

He opened his mouth to retort, but Lily's voice from downstairs cut him off.

"Rose? Are you busy?" she asked, her voice ringing through the house.

"Kinda!" I yelled back. "I'm entertaining a guest!"

"Who?"

"Come up and see!" I called back, grinning.

I heard the thumping of her feet as she climbed the stairs and waited as she walked to the living room.

When she got here, her brow furrowed. "Dimitri?" she asked.

He smiled. "It's nice to see you again, Lily," he said.

"You too. What's with the black eye?" she questioned.

"Just some cocky asshole who decided to pick a fight with me. Believe me when I say that he's in worse shape than I am right now," he replied, grinning.

"I don't doubt that," she said, eyeing his muscles. "Who was it?"

"A guy named Jesse Zeklos. Huge douche, I suggest that you two steer clear of him."

"Good to know," I said, chuckling. "Thanks for the heads up."

"No problem," he replied breezily.

"Well, I'm gonna go get Cam. I need help hanging a few things in my room," Lily said, smiling.

"Okay. If you want, you can hang out with us when you're done," I offered.

She shook her head. "Thanks, but I think I'm gonna take a nap. I haven't gotten much sleep lately."

"Okay. I'll see you later, then."

She left, calling for Cam, and their footsteps soon faded down the stairs.

"I can't get over how much the two of you have changed," he murmured, leaning back into the plush cushions.

"We are nine years older, D. A lot changes in nine years," I said, casting him a sidelong glance.

"I guess so."

We finished our hot chocolate in silence, enjoying each other's company. Dimitri had been my best friend before we were forced to move to Montana with Mom. I mean, I'd had good friends in Montana, but no one knew me like Dimitri did. No one could take his place as my best friend.

Soon after, he sighed and stood up. "I'd better call a cab. Mom doesn't like me coming home too late," he said apologetically.

I scoffed. "Don't be silly. I'll drive you."

"Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly after a moment of silence.

"Positive. Go get your boots on. They're in the mud room. I'll get the keys from Dad," I replied, grinning.

He nodded and went to get his boots on. I made my way to Dad's room and knocked on the door.

"Come in," his tired voice called.

I opened the door and poked my head in. "Sorry to disturb you, but can I have the keys to the Escalade? I'm gonna drive Dimitri home."

He smiled. "Of course." He reached over and plucked the keys from his bedside table, then threw them in my direction. I caught them, thanking him, and left the room.

I grabbed my coat from the hook by the front door and stepped through the door to the garage, where Dimitri was waiting. I unlocked the doors of the sleek black Cadillac Escalade and hopped in. Dimitri got in the passenger seat, and I started the car.

While the garage doors opened, I hooked my iPod Touch up to the speakers and flipped through the songs, deciding on "If It Means A Lot To You" by A Day To Remember.

Dimitri grinned at me. "You like this song?" he asked.

"Love it," I replied, driving out of the garage and down the long driveway.

"You have good taste, then."

I grinned. "Of course I do, because I'm awesome."

He rolled his eyes. "You haven't changed, Roza."

"Roza?" I questioned, turning on to the road. I had to hide a smile.

"It's Rose in Russian," he replied. I looked over to him, seeing the smile on his face.

"I like it," I told him. "It's pretty."

"Good," he said, his eyes lighting up.

I drove through the streets until I passed École Millidgeville North School, the elementary/middle school that I used to go to.

"I miss that place," I murmured as we passed it.

"So do I," he said, a wistful note in his voice. "It's weird, being in the same school for nine years and then going to high school. It's so different."

I sighed. "Saint Mac's will be my third school; when we moved to Montana, Mom sent us to a boarding school called St. Vladimir's Academy. I absolutely hated that place, and I was there from grade four until . . . well, now," I explained, turning on to Millidge Avenue. "Where do you live, anyway?"

"West side," he replied. "Do you remember where Westgate is?"

"Yeah. I wasn't sure if you guys had moved or not. Still in the same house?" I asked.

He nodded. "On Mountfield Crescent."

"Okay."

After a few minutes of driving, we were on Douglas Avenue.

"Hey, does Tasha still live on this street?" I asked.

"Yeah, they haven't moved," he replied.

"Sweet! Do her and Chris go to St Mac's?"

"Christian does, but Tasha had to go to Saint John High. STM was full," he explained.

"That sucks," I said, turning on to the Reversing Falls Bridge. I looked out to the water; it was vicious today. And it was in the middle of reversing.

When I was little, I had nightmares about the Reversing Falls. If anyone ever fell in, there was a slim chance they'd be getting back out, because the currents were too strong and there were nasty whirlpools everywhere.

We passed Simms' Corner. "Hey, you don't mind if we stop at McDonald's, do you? I'm starving," I said, grinning.

"That's so unhealthy, Rose. I'm sure that Mom's making supper now; eat at my house."

I sighed. "Yeah, okay," I replied. I'd been looking forward to some greasy food, but Olena was a really good cook . . .

After a few more minutes of driving, I turned on to Westgate and followed the twists and turns down the hill until I was at the bottom, where I turned left. I soon found Mountfield Crescent and turned, searching for the house I remembered from nine years ago.

It still looked the same; white siding, a shed in the backyard, a red door. I parked in the driveway and cut the engine before getting out and following Dimitri up the back stairs. He unlocked the door and stepped inside, motioning for me to do the same.

"Mom, I'm home!" Dimitri called.

"I'm downstairs, Dimka! The food is in the oven," she called back.

I pulled my boots off. Dimitri grabbed my hand and pulled me down the stairs, where the TV room was.

"Look who I found," he said, pulling me in to the room where his mother and his three sisters sat, watching TV. Their eyes all swivelled over to the two of us.

Dimitri's fifteen-year-old sister Viktoria was the first to recognize me. "Rose? Is that you?" she asked.

I grinned. "Miss me, Tori?"

Squealing, she jumped up off the couch and tackled me, hugging me tight. I hissed in pain as she squeezed my healing ribs.

"Careful, Vika. Rose is recovering from broken ribs," Dimitri told her.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, letting go of me.

I chuckled. "It's all good, Tori. I'm just sore."

"How did you break your ribs?" she asked.

"Car accident," I replied, grimacing. "Completely totaled my poor baby."

"That sucks," she said, pulling me over to sit on the couch. "What are you doing in Saint John?"

I paused. I figured I'd might as well say it. "My mom was killed last week, so we live here again."

Olena gasped. "Oh, Rose, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed. She was sitting on one of the other couches beside Dimitri's older sisters, Karolina and Sonya. His grandmother, Yeva, was nowhere in sight.

"Thanks," I replied, smiling at her. I'd always loved Olena; she was just like a mother should be, with her caring, loving nature. I'd always secretly wished that she was my mom.

We all chatted for a few minutes before a loud rumble erupted from my stomach. I burst out laughing.

"Come on, lets get you some food," Dimitri said, standing and holding his hand out to me. I took it and let him help me up, and the two of us made our way upstairs.

I grabbed two glasses and opened the fridge. "What are you having to drink?" I asked. I heard a clatter as he got two plates.

"Root beer," he replied. Nodding, I poured two glasses of root beer and carried them to the table, setting them on two placemats.

Dimitri came over, holding two plates of lasagna. My mouth watered at the sight of it; it was absolutely perfect.

He handed me my plate and a fork, and I hungrily dug in.

I nearly moaned at the taste. "God, I've missed your mother's cooking," I told him, taking a gulp of root beer.

He chuckled. "I'll bet. I don't think that I could live a day without it."

There was a sudden knock at the door. Dimitri wiped his mouth on his napkin and got up to answer it, while I continued eating.

"Hey, dude. Who's the chick?" a male voice asked.

"This 'chick' has a name," I growled, turning and glaring at whoever it was.

The guy had messy, razor-cut black hair and icy blue eyes. His skin was pale, and he was tall and lanky. He was followed by a girl that looked almost exactly like him, other than the scar that marred her left cheek. I hadn't seen them in years, but I'd know them anywhere.

I grinned. "Ah, Christian and Tasha. Long time no see, eh?"

They both blinked, staring at me. "I'm sorry, but do we know you?" Tasha asked.

I placed a hand over my heart. "You guys kill me! How could you forget me?" I joked, pretending to wipe a tear.

Dimitri laughed. "You're retarded, Rose," he said, grinning.

"Rose?" the Ozera siblings chorused. "As in, Rose Mazur?"

"The one and only," I replied, winking. "Miss me?"

Christian grinned. "Like hell!" He came and hugged me. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here. Well, not here as in Dimitri's house, but here as in Saint John," I replied, grinning.

"That's awesome!" Tasha exclaimed, her lips pulling up in a smile. She was the younger of the two, though only by a year and a half. Her face had been scarred ever since she was six, when she was attacked by a dog. "Is Lily here too? And Cam?" she asked.

"In Saint John, yes. But not here. They're home."

"That's actually awesome," Christian commented. "I've missed my Rosie." He ruffled my hair, earning a death glare and a punch in the arm.

"Ow!" he squealed, clutching his arm. "Jeez, you punch like a guy!"

I smiled angelically. "Yeah, I do. Remember that next time you ruffle my hair."

"Gotcha," he muttered, rubbing the spot where I'd punched him. He'd probably have a bruise soon.

It was nice to see my old friends after so long. Christian and I bantered good-naturedly, and my night couldn't have been more perfect.

So, who was expecting to see those three? :)

There's gonna be another familiar face next chapter...you'll get a dedication if you guess who! And don't go for the obvious ;)

Anyways, I've decided that I should probably get a beta, just in case :P so if you're interested in beta-ing this story, let me know!

Well, goodbye for now!

~ Sar ~