A/N Gah, I am very sorry that this was not up last week! Things are just really crazy with college and work. However, here is this chapter now and I will try to upload the next one soon! Review please!

Standard Disclaimers Apply.

Chapter 5 Disappointing

Dimitri's POV

I let the girls talk, longer than I planned on. They needed some time to calm down and relax in the chaos. I was not stupid though. All the doors and windows are covered by at least two guardians that are more than capable of taking Rose down without a second glance. She is untrained. Skilled, yes, but lacked three years of training and a hell of a lot of discipline but her raw potential made her, with the proper training of course, deadly.

My phone rang. I opened it up before I read the caller ID, "Guardian Belikov-"

"Oh stop that Dimka," My mom laughed in my native tongue, Russian. "It's only me"

"Sorry mama," I said in Russian.

"You sound tired, what happened today?"

"We caught them. I was up all night watching one of them."

"Oh? What's so special about her that you watched her sleep?"

"She's tricky, I know she would try to escape again and I could not let that happen. Just being cautious mama."

She sighed heavily into the phone. "I want to talk about this later Dimitri but you know how your grandma is."

I laughed. "You need to follow your heart and your gut Dimitri, it will be hard but you have to always follow them. It will lead you to where you have to be." Yeva said cryptically as usual.

"I will, I promise."

"Things are going to get very tough." With that she hung up and I was left to think about what she meant. I had a pretty good idea what she meant. She meant Rose.

After I finished my thoughts, I knocked on the door and let myself in. "It's five now, you should get ready. They will be here in an hour." She nodded, signaling she understood.

What was I going to do about this? She was only seventeen, a minor for Christ's sake! I knew what I had to do.

Half way back to her room, I said, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Why?" She seemed both genuinely surprised and

"For kissing you. That never should have happened."

I saw the hurt in her eyes and the tears that she held back. She was hurt by my words and honestly, they hurt me too. It almost felt like a knife sliced through me and wanted to rip me apart. I could not understand the such strong feelings I already had for this girl but they are there. I could not hide them. Suddenly my grandmother's words seemed easier said than done.

She walked ahead of me and I did not enter her room again but I knew she was up to something. Right before she shut the door, a look of determination shone across her face. Quickly I raced to her window. Did she know she was five stories up? Would she try to escape—oh who am I kidding? With her disciplinary record? Of course she would!

Soon enough a rope flew out her window, six feet off the ground before I saw her maneuvering out the window. I stood near the rope, ready to catch her when she fell. I highly doubted she would fall, not with her record, but there was a first for everything.

"What are you doing?" I asked as she jumped off the rope and found her footing before allowing herself to fall over. "I thought you said no-"

She shrugged uncaring, "Change in plans. Lissa wants to go."

Before either of us could blink, she turned around so fast it revivals Strigoi speed. I caught up with her soon with that kiss lingering in my thoughts. "Rose, you can't leave! This is you last chance to prove yourself worthy of being Lissa's guardian."

If talking nicely did not work I knew I had to resort to violence.

Rose's POV

"You have so much potential, I won't let that go to waste. Please." I heard the desperation in his voice, as if this really was my choice.

I sighed, there was no way I could get passed him another time. "Fine."

"Even," he hesitated, "even if you're not a student, I would like to train you. I really hate to see potential like yours go to waste."

I gave him one of my favorite Rose Hathaway witty quips before going back to my room without answering him. Had he meant it? If so, why did he want to? I know he told me why, but some part of me thought it was because of something else.

I had just enough time to get ready before Dimitri told me it was time to go and that Lissa would meet us their.

"Don't talk back, behave." I opened my mouth for the snide comment on my lips but he kept talking. "You have to make Kirova want to keep you enrolled. Just shut up, listen, and be alert. I'll be there as will Petrov," ah the head guardian at St. Vladmirs, I nearly forgot about her, "You have to try your hardest to stay enrolled. Kirova wants to expel you. You have to change her mind."

"What if I don't want to get enrolled." I threw back. I did not want to go back there, but I was not leaving Lissa. I did not know what I was going to do.

"Then you are stupid and so am I if I trained you after you messed up intentionally with your future." That blow hurt.

Without another word, we arrived in the office, Lissa before me, with her own guardian. She knew my decision without me sending her a message. Kirova ushered us forward without words before launching into her lecture.

I liked to believe the only reason she was in her profession is for the lectures, because I have yet to see any evidence of her actually liking kids. But the longer she went on, the more difficult it was to hear. And more truthful. I never should have let the Dragomir princess, the last of her line, run away with me even if she wanted to. I hated it when others are right about my mistakes, not that I would admit that to anyone even myself.

I have to admit Kirova's lecture was the best I ever heard—and that is saying a lot! It covered the usual topic: irresponsibility, disrespect, lack of discipline, self-centeredness, blah blah blah. I stopped listening as soon as she starting talking, tuning in every now and then.

"...Rosemarie Hathaway, you are facing expulsion. If this was only my choice, you would be expelled already but guardian Petrov and the queen requested me..."

This went on until Dimitri stepped in, saving my ass. "Headmistress, with all due respect, yes Rose is wild and disrespectful" the only thing keeping my mouth shut and not slamming that comment in his face was the pep talk we had earlier. "but she has raw potential. With the right amount of training, she can be the best guardian out there. All I am asking is to give her one more shot before making any rash decisions."

My knight and shining armor! I had to be Lissa's guardian, he knew that too. She is my best friend, I'm bonded to her. I love her. Some part of me believed that no guardian could guard her better than I could but Dimitri had a damn good point. I needed to catch up with training before I was ready to be her official guardian.

"Are you willing to put in these extra hours? Before and after her classes here? In all her free time?"

"Yes."

"And mentor her? Give her lessons in self-control, patience, discipline, and anything else that seems fit?"

Dimitri hesitated but it was clear his answer was yes. "I will help Belikov with these lessons."

"No, no, it's alright, I can do it. I accept these terms."

"Rosemarie Hathaway, do you accept these conditions?"

Was I really getting off this easily? "Yes."

"Miss Hathaway, in addition to these conditions, you are under house arrest, so to speak. You are on probationary parole. One step out of line, you will be expelled. Nothing and nobody will stop me. You are only allowed out of your room for classes, meals, and trainings unless specified otherwise. And since you cannot be a full student here, you have a lot of training time. Most are with Guardian Belikov but other guardians may train you too. So you still accept these terms and conditions?"

Were they trying to keep Lissa and I separated? Lissa sent me a warning message to take the deal and one look at Dimitri's almost pleading face, I nodded. "I accept."

"Guardian Belikov, will you bring Rose to the Sons of Erebus while I finish talking with Vasilisa?"

Dimitri nodded before escorting me out. Neither of us talking for a long time.

"You did good back there, you have more self-control than most people give you credit for," I smiled before he shrugged his shoulders, finished talking. "When you want to anyway."

"Yeah? At least I'm not running around in a duster being a wannabe cowboy, comrade."

He gave me a half smile but did not respond. The Sons of Erebus ran a tight shift, though not as tight as the guardians. They told me two hours a day, one before my trainings with Dimitri and one after, that one of them would train me as they would their own. Then I went to the guidance counselor where I received my schedule.

Classes begin at 8pm and end at 2am Monday through Friday

5pm-6pm Warrior Training. Gymnasium. Sons of Erebus

6pm-8pm Guardian Training. Gymnasium. Guardian Belikov

1st period Archery. Gymnasium. James Stark

2nd period Drama. 101. Performing Arts Center. Prof. Nolan

3rd period Lit. 101. Rm. 214. Prof. Penthesilea

4th period Fencing. Gymnasium. Prof. Dragon Lankford.

-LUNCH BREAK-

5th period Spanish. 101. Rm. 216. Prof. Garmy

6th period Tae Kwan Do. Gymnasium. Prof. Xander Crane

7th period Bodyguard Theory and Personal Protection. Guardian Tanner

8th period Guardian Combat Techniques. Guardian Alto

2am-4am Guardian Training. Gymnasium. Guardian Belikov

4am-5am Warrior Training. Gymnasium. Sons of Erebus

Dimitri and I walked out of the office. My hands held my schedule, eyes wide in disbelief, "You gotta be fucking kidding me!"

"Watch your language! You can't afford to get into any more trouble." I looked at him, surprised by his words. Watch my language? No way.

"They scheduled my trainings with you! And They are two hours long! I don't have time for my homework! And when am I supposed to eat?"

"I am sure you will have time to eat and sleep. Don't worry."

"Worry? I have twelve hours of my day scheduled!" Dimitri stopped me by turning around and grasping my shoulders so hard that I thought I would have bruises tomorrow.

"And if you did not leave, you would not so much class time. You brought this on yourself. Did you honestly think you could run from us forever?"

I refused to answer that because honestly, I am surprised we stayed hidden as long as we had. I walked away, well aware he followed me (probably thinking I would run away again) before running into a laughing Zoey.

"...have you learned nothing?" A guy talking to her and two other girls.

"Twin, remind me, do we care?"

"Not at all, twin, in fact-"

"Rose!" Zoey squealed, cutting off the mocha colored girl. I refrained from rolling my eyes. I let my feet drag me towards her. "Everyone, this is Rose. She is like Eddie Castile. Rose, this is Damien, Erin" she said motioning to the guy and the beautiful blonde haired girl. "And Shaunee, but everyone calls Erin and Shanuee twins. You'll see why."

"Hey."

"What classes do you have?"

I handed my schedule to Zoey. Everyone gathered around her quickly, reading over he shoulder. Damien was the first to look up and speak.

"What did you do?" He sounded curious but caring.

"It's a long story."

"Lunch? You can meet everyone else then."

"Sure. Hey comrade, we are going to start our training now or after classes?"

"After," he said quickly, face unchanging. I sighed, his mask was firmly back in place.

"Z and I will show you around."

I nodded, "Minus well get this over with, I just can't wait to start training again." A hint of sarcasm creeping into my voice.

The twins laughed. I already knew where most of the things were but Zoey and Damien are too eager. Half way to the archery range, inside the gym, we ran into Zoey's boyfriend. James Stark. Or rather Stark. It did not take long to figure out everyone called him it.

Stark offered to bring me there, seeing as he is my instructor and they had to get to their own classes. With a quick kiss, Stark, Dimitri, and I were alone. Stark, unlike any others here, had red marks. His crescent mark is filled in and, like Zoey, marks flow on his face, giving him a unique pattern. Was he a vampire or a fledgling? Was Zoey a fledgling? I made a mental note to ask later.

"You're a dhampir."

"Yeah, and you're Marked."

"I made the change, I am a vamypre now. Thanks to Zoey. "

"Awe, whipped much?"

He, however, did not find my joke funny. "Castile is waiting."

Without another word, the three of us walked into the room without another word. This would be a very long day.