I just want to say thank you to everyone enjoying the story so far, what little of it there is as of right now, and a double thank you to those who reviewed! I always love reading you guys' feedback, helps me a lot and it's always just nice to see people enjoying your work.

And a TRIPLE thank you to DhampirLover who pointed out a typo error in the first chapter I have no idea how I missed X3. I read through that chapter I don't know how many times, and still missed it. This is why I need you guys! So, thank you a lot. Any-who, on with the story!

Hope this chapter doesn't disappoint!

Chapter 2: New Hope

I suppressed a squeal of joy as we pulled up to the plane. In a couple hours we'd be back at the Academy and I could take a nice long bath, and curl up for a good long nap. In my own bed. In a room I'm positive gets cleaned regularly. But, even besides that I missed my friends. Lissa, Eddie, Adrian, Mason, even Christian; as sorry as I was to admit. As long as we'd known each other, they had become more than just my friends. They were my family. They kept me regular, which was a must seeing as I was still constantly fighting for my own mind against the darkness of spirit.

"Oh no, no, no. Now where do you think you're going?" Dimitri getting ready to settle into the seat next to Ivan snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Wouldn't make a girl sit all by her lonesome, would you?" I asked giving him my best puppy dog face. I was joking, of course, but it came out a little more flirty than I intended. The other guardians chuckled having become well used to my immature and non-professional tendencies. Dimitri's face was puzzled, obviously surprised by my not very guardian-ly behavior. Ivan gave him a light squeeze on the shoulder.

"It's alright, D. The jig is up." He gave him a small smile of reassurance, but it was filled with sadness. I almost felt bad for them. What could've spooked these kids so bad they felt they weren't safe at the Academy? I made a note to find out during our little chat. Reluctantly, Dimitri shuffled out of the seat and followed behind me to the rear end of the plane. I offered him the window seat, as to keep a close eye and strike quickly in case he still tried to make some daring escape. He slumped in his seat. The fire I had seen in his eyes just moments ago had diminished. He was defeated. But, I could tell by the deep furrow in his brows that he was more disappointed in himself than anything. He'd failed what he set out to do; to protect Ivan. And it was eating him up.

"Hey...y'know not a lot of novices lacking two years of training would've risked taking on five guardians at once. Hell, even novices who completed their training probably wouldn't try that. Especially not against a guardian as awesome and legendary as myself. It was pretty badass. Stupid. But, badass." The corners of his lips twitched slightly at my choice of language. I'm sure he could tell I wasn't like most guardians. Something I prided myself on.

"Why did you do it?" He lifted his head to meet my eyes. But this time, that fire was back and brighter than ever. He had more passion for his duty than some full fledged guardians I'd come across, and especially more than many of the novices I saw at the Academy. It was remarkable. And he answered like it was the most obvious, simple thing in the world.

"Because I'm his guardian." As strange as it was he reminded me of...me. After Lissa's family died no one was going to stop me from being her guardian. Hell, even before then. I may have been falling behind on my training, but I was still more than willing to lay down my life for her. She was my one and only responsibility. Always will be. But, even back then there were times I faltered. Times I thought I wouldn't be good enough to be her guardian. Most normal teenagers rarely even consider the thought of putting someone else's life before theirs. Sure, Dhampirs were different, but it could still be a hard thing to embrace.

He averted his gaze to the window. I had many more questions; such as how in the hell they managed to escape us for years, how they survived, had they encountered any strigoi... The answer to the last one was obvious seeing as they were sitting before us and not dead or worse, but I was still curious to know. I'd decided he'd been through enough and left it alone. For now. Although, there was something else about him that I couldn't quite put my finger on. It was...intriguing. Something masked behind his eyes. Something that said he had lived the life of a man twice his age in just seventeen years. I couldn't figure out why, but I wanted-needed to know more about him. I just hoped he'd be at the Academy long enough for me to actually find out. No, he would be. There was no way in hell I'd let someone as dedicated as Dimitri fall through. I'd dedicated my life to helping kids that had given up, and here was one that was fighting with every ounce he had to keep going. I wasn't going to fail him.

I didn't have the luxury of sleeping during the flight, but thankfully the time went by quickly. Soon as we touched down, my body visibly relaxed. I resented the Academy when I was younger, seeing as my mother dumped me there like old garbage, but now it had come to be like a home to me. Dimitri and Ivan on the other hand, their bodies couldn't have been any more tense. Ivan paled a few shades as we walked them toward Kirova's office in the administration building, and Dimitri stood poised to attack as if everyone here was a threat. This only raised more alarm as to why they left in the first place. Whatever it was, it was bad. I needed to find out in case other students lives were in danger.

The farther we walked into the commons, the more of a crowd the two infamous escapees seemed to gather. Many started to whisper and point as they passed. Ivan kept a cool, nonchalant expression but I could tell he was squirming under all the unwanted attention. Dimitri kept his eyes straight as if they weren't there at all.

This kid has yet to cease to amaze me.

Lucky for them, the boys at this academy were a lot more merciful than the girls, so they wouldn't have too much shit to put up with being back. Had it been two girls however...I couldn't even imagine what kind of torment they'd have to put up with. Girls at their age could be real bitches.

I should know.

Or, at the most, they'd fight it out and then that'd be the end of it. Either way, I had no doubts that they'd have little to no trouble readjusting back into academy life.

Finally, we had arrived at Kirova's office. The red queen in the flesh. Even now that I was an adult and working at the academy, I still couldn't manage to find anything about her that was...tolerable. I always felt like she hated me when I was still a novice and nothing has changed. Every time I want to take on a student I have to come to her, and every time she turns it into nearly an all out brawl. I wanted to help these kids, she couldn't care less about them. It was as if no one could make mistakes. Ever. In her eyes if you weren't the perfect image of what a guardian could be you were useless. And it was for that very reason I could never find it in myself to have an ounce of respect for her. I honestly couldn't believe she was even still Headmistress, she was practically a dinosaur. She'd been here since I was attending the Academy, and even before. I still stood firmly by my hypothesis that she fed off the fear and misery of these kids and that was what kept her going. Some of the other guardians agreed with me. Lissa always said I was being melodramatic.

The second we stepped into the room the atmosphere grew heavy with apprehension. I could tell even the rest of the guardians felt it as they all struggled to sit comfortably in their seats, only giving a slight nod of greeting to Kirova. She sat as the head of the throne, so to speak, like always. She never took her eyes off either of the boys as they took their seats. She was more so on Dimitri. They were narrow and focused. She was out for blood.

"You, Mr. Belikov," She started, Dimitri had maintained a stoic and unyielding composure since their capture, but now even he was shrinking back under her glare, "You broke the most sacred promise among our kind: the promise of a guardian to protect a Moroi. It is a great trust. A trust that you violated by selfishly taking Mr. Zeklos away from here. The Strigoi would love to wipe out the entire royal Moroi lines; you nearly enabled them a step closer." I could see in his eyes he was fighting a protest, but remained silent.

"Dimitri didn't kidnap me." Ivan however, did not, "I wanted to go. Don't blame him." He sat forward in his seat willing to jump in the line of fire for his friend. Watching the two of them was heartwarming. It's often guardians get assigned to Moroi they've never seen, let alone had a chance to connect with. Me and Lissa were different, of course, but it wasn't very common. Looking at these two since we found them, it was obvious they weren't just friends. They were family.

Kirova got up from her seat and started to pace the office, hands folded behind her back.

"Mr. Zeklos, you could have been the one who orchestrated the entire plan for all I know, but it was still his responsibility to make sure you didn't carry it out. If he'd done his duty, he would have notified someone. If he'd done his duty, he would have kept you safe." I had yet to see Dimitri lose control, but that did it. He shot up from his chair with his fists clutched at his sides, even I flinched a little at the sudden outburst.

"I did do my duty!" He shouted, "I did keep him safe! Had there been any other way, I would've done it. I took him away to protect him. I did what I had to do." We all sat silent. No guardian had ever dared speak to Kirova in such a way, besides maybe me, and it was shocking to say the least to witness a novice have the balls to do so. Ivan raised from his seat, most likely to calm his fuming friend, but Kirova shot him a look that froze him where he sat. Dimitri sat back down immediately and averted his eyes to the ground. He seemed shocked by his own loss of control, and cursed himself for it. Kirova drew her eyes back to him, expressionless.

"Mr. Belikov, forgive me if I fail to see the logic of how taking him out of a heavily guarded, magically secured environment is protecting him. Unless there's something you aren't telling us?" Dimitri remained silent, "I see. Well then. By my estimation the only reason you left-aside from the novelty of it, no doubt was for some idiotic show boat of arrogance. You were already top in your class, perhaps you felt you were better than most of the highly trained guardians here and left to prove you no longer needed the Academy. No regard for putting Mr. Zeklos' life in danger in the process." Dimitri's head shot up.

"No, that's not-"

"And that makes my decision that much easier. As a Moroi, Mr. Zeklos must continue here at the Academy for his own safety, but we have no such obligations for you. You will be sent away as soon as possible." Dimitri sat paralyzed. His eyes darted in every direction looking for some sign that this couldn't actually be happening, but it was. It was Ivan's turn to jump up.

"You can't do that! He's my guardian." Kirova turned her steely eyes on him.

"He is no such thing, particularly since he isn't even a guardian at all. He's still a novice."

"But my parents-"

"I know what your parents wanted, God bless their souls, but things have changed. Mr. Belikov is expendable. He doesn't deserve to be a guardian, and he will leave." We all sat shocked. Sure, Kirova could be harsh, but this was a completely new level. I hadn't expected them to get a simple slap on the wrist, but this was excessive. Ivan sat eyes wide with terror of losing his friend, and Dimitri lowered his head into his hands. One could only imagine the dread coursing through him. Knowing you failed to do the one thing we were bred to do, losing your family, having no purpose... I didn't know what I'd do if I ever faced the possibility of losing Lissa and the one thing I was actually good-no, amazing at. It was heart wrenching. I couldn't sit by and watch this anymore. Taking a deep breath, I stood up and took a stand between the two boys. Now was as good a time as any. My body temperature started to skyrocket as all eyes around the room bored into me. Ivan looked nearly ready to flee as if I was the one that was going to separate them. I gave him the most reassuring look I could muster. Sure, I'd gotten her to let me take on students failing in classes, ditching, entering in the middle of the year for whatever reason, but running away from the Academy was an entirely new and very serious offense.

I hope this works.

"Headmistress, I wouldn't dare stand here in front of you and the rest of the fine guardians in this room and say that what these boys have done is forgivable and should go without punishment," Soon as I started, Dimitri's eyes wandered up to meet mine. He looked almost betrayed, as if his last hope had just tossed him to the wolves. It brought a sting to my chest, I quickly broke contact and continued, not wanting to give him hope too early,"But, I'm sure I and most of the other guardians here can agree, that we are of short supply as it is. You said it yourself that Dimitri was one of the top of his class before this incident, and from the look of his records he has been since his enrollment at the Academy. It's not everyday we get novices with this much potential to be amazing guardians. Dedication such as that, simply can't be taught. More than just a waste, it would be failure on our part to fulfill that very promise you mentioned earlier to protect the Moroi if we let him slip through our grasp. Think of the guardian he's going to become." Kirova was never really fond of me, but in times like this when I challenged her authority it was exceptionally worse. Her eyes were daggers. She fought to maintain her professional composure. I could tell from how her knuckles started to whiten as she gripped her desk that, had she gotten her way, I could've been leaving with a black eye. Maybe worse.

"So, you're suggesting we let him stay at the Academy after everything he's done?" She paused, practically daring me to object, "And then what? He goes unpunished?" I returned her gaze, refusing to back down.

"No. Find some other way to punish him. Tighter curfews, more surveillance, no extracurriculars, whatever. But, we can't afford to lose another guardian. Even you can't deny that. And, I'm sure every other guardian here can agree." I turned and did a sweep around the room to bring attention to those nodding in agreement. Kirova's face tightened, but I could tell she was wearing down. Her eyes started to droop and her body had relaxed slightly.

"So...you're proposing that you will be the one to take Mr. Belikov on. Despite a two year gap, you're going to make sure he's caught up with the rest of his peers." To anyone else this probably sounded like a suicide mission. And I was pretty sure there was no one else that would dare to take on a job like this, but that was my job.

"Yes." She sighed in resignation. Hathaway 1, Kirova 0.

Well, more like Hathaway 100.

"If Mr. Belikov stays, here's how it will be," She eyed Dimitri fiercely making sure he fully understood her next words, "your continued enrollment at St. Vladimir's is strictly probationary. Step out of line once, and you're gone. You will attend all classes and required training for novices your age. You will also train with Guardian Hathaway in every spare moment you have...before and after classes. Other than that, you are banned from all social activities, except meals, and you will stay in your dorm. Fail to comply with any of this, and you will be sent away." Dimitri nodded in compliance, sending a quick look of gratitude my way. I waved it off.

"I accept."

"Everyone is dismissed." I let out a breath I hadn't even realized I was holding, and all but sprinted out of that room as quickly as possible before Kirova could change her mind. Also, I was missing Lissa dearly and was eager to see her and catch up with everyone. Thankfully the bond confirmed she wasn't...busy at the moment.

"Guardian Hathaway!" I was stopped in my tracks by Ivan and Dimitri jogging after me. I was about to brush off whatever thanks I was sure they were about to give me, but Ivan lunging himself at me in a hug caught me completely by surprise. I barely had time to return the gesture.

"I can't thank you enough for saving our asses. Pardon my French. Dimitri's especially. I don't know what I'd ever do without him... Thank you, Guardian Hathaway. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"To us." Dimitri clarified, "Thank you, Guardian Hathaway. Truly. I promise, I won't let what you did for me go to waste." When he looked at me it was like I was seeing him for the first time. The mask he usually wore to hide his true feelings from others was gone, and he gave me a full, real smile. He was practically beaming as it spread from ear to ear. I preferred this Dimitri. I could tell he also wanted to hug me, but refrained. Something told me he didn't get to be this Dimitri often, and I made a note to myself to change that. Least while I was around. He deserved time to still be, well...a teen. Date girls, go out, have fun, be happy. They all did. I returned his smile wholeheartedly.

"Oh, really it's no problem. This is what I do. And, please, call me Rose."

Sorry for those expecting a mix-up of POV in this chapter like it was last chapter, i apolozie. But, I promise next chapter will be allll Dimitri. Or at least mostly. Rose and Dimitri are the main POV's I will be focused on in this story, but please let me know if you'd like a chapter in Ivan's POV or whoever and I'll see what I can do :).

Also, if you guys notice characters slightly out of character please keep in mind that they've matured and also kind of backwards matured. Not many teenagers have the minds of 24 year olds and vice versa. So please don't be too hard on me.

Anyway, you guys know the drill. Review, favorite, like, tell your friends, your pets, whatever. I appreciate all comments! Happy reading and I'll see you all next chapter!