A/N: Okay, I cannot believe I didn't update this in a year! It has seriously not felt that long to me, but this chapter is seriously overdue, and I'm so sorry it took so long. I've gotten back into the jazz of writing, and I feel like I can really get back into this story. I hope you enjoy it!

I chipped off some more of the beige nail polish as I listened to the names of my classmates be called up alphabetically, to our final exams. The Guardian trial. I really needed to reapply my nail polish before the graduation party, was all my mind let me think about.

Closing my eyes, I blew out a nervous breath, grabbing my phone like a lifeline. I could do this. This was nothing compared to the masses of strigoi I killed at the battle. I scratched my zvezda mark at the reminder.

These weren't my own thoughts, I realized and smiled. They were Lissa's motivational ones infiltrating mine. I had just left her, but she hadn't stopped thinking these thoughts for me, encouraging me. Truthfully, she was just as nervous as me about this trial. It really affected our future with each other.

I looked out into the crowd, spotting Lissa after a moment of searching. She met my eyes too, giving me a double thumbs up, and a fangy grin. Next to her, Christian looked like a cat that had been stepped on, while he held up a sign that Lissa had definitely made him hold up. It says, 'Kick their asses Rose!' with glittery hearts and flowers surrounding it.

"You have a very dedicated little posse there." I spun around to find my mum standing there, glancing at Lissa and Christian and Adrian, who is now joining them.

"Mum? Wha- Why are you here?"

She raised an eyebrow, "Well, some mothers are excited to watch their daughters go to prom. I am excited to watch you pass your guardian exam." Her lips were tinged with a smile.

I gave her an unimpressed look. "Was that supposed to be a joke? Whatever, I don't have time to figure out why you're actually here. I'm kind of busy."

She glanced back out at the audience for a split second before covering it up by looking around me.

"Busy with what exactly?"

I tried to see what she was looking at in the audience. Was that why she was here? Before this year, I could count the amount of times I've seen her on both hands. Why was she here now?

"Well, I was actually meditating until you rudely interrupted me."

"Meditating?" She asked incredulously, "Really? You don't seem like the meditating type."

She seemed surprisingly relaxed, which on some subconscious level relaxed me. Still, I needed to act my part as the bitchy teenage daughter. "I didn't know meditation was restricted to a type. Now if you would excuse me…"

"Okay, I'll join you." My mother sat down along the wall I was leaning against, and closed her eyes. Knowing how focused my mother was, she could probably stay there, against the wall, for hours. I sighed. So much for getting rid of her. All I really wanted to do was text Dimitri.

I closed my eyes as well, and focused on calming my breath so that my heart rate could decrease. Starting this trial with a high heart rate probably wouldn't be very effective. Lissa's encouragements continued through the bond, to the point of annoyance. Lissa is nothing if not dedicated.

I zoned out, until the 'H' category of names started. My turn came alarmingly close. What if I failed? That happened from time to time. What if I make some huge mistake, because I forgot some tactic? I mean, I wasn't the most attentive person in Stan's class.

My phone buzzing in my hand ripped me out of my spiralling thoughts. I opened the new message I got from Dimitri, and my heart started beating harder again. So much for starting without a racing heart.

As a response to my last text, asking 'any last words of zen advice?', he wrote 'Don't fail'.

Then I received two more texts saying, 'I know you can do this, just show everyone else.' and 'Also, look over to Lissa in the crowd'.

"Who are you texting?" I didn't hear my mother as I lurched towards the little window that showed the audience watching Shane savagely beat up two guardian 'strigoi'. There, a row above Lissa, now holding GO ROSE sign I know Liss forced on him, sat Dimitri.

"Fuck!"

"Rose! Who did you see? I can explain what's going on, after the test. I didn't want to add more stress-"

I cut off my mum, confused as hell. "Mum, what? I was talking about Di- um, Guardian Belikov. He's back, and he'll watch my exam. What are you talking about?"

This was too much to handle before the exam that could potentially like, shape my future and that shit. I didn't need my life to interfere right now.

'DIMITRI WHAT THE HELL DO U THINK UR DOING HERE. I HATE SURPRISES.' I texted back viciously, as I saw him wave at me.

Contrary to my words, his presence did cause my stomach to bubble. Did he come all the way here, to watch me? No, I stomped on that thought. His charge probably has relative Moroi graduating tomorrow.

"Oh," my mother was speechless. "Well then, um, forget what I said. Right now, all you should think about is this exam…"

"Nice try. Now, would you please just give me a hug, wish me good luck like any normal mum and leave before I get mad at your lies?"

Mum leaned in to hug me, slightly awkwardly, but it was enough for me.

"Novice Rose Hathaway, you're up next!" Stan roared, and from then on, everything was a blur. I walked out into the field, thinking of Lissa and my friends, Dimitri, my mother, and some stranger my Mum is hiding from me, watching me.

—

Alberta had reassured me I had passed with flying colours, but even by the time my graduation party came around, I was still incredibly tense.

The party was in full swing when I finally arrived, unaffected by my absence. The party was held in the guest dorms, in a conference room Lissa had managed to sweet talk her way into renting. Well actually, I think more than sweet talking was involved, but when Liss puts her mind on a mission, there is no stopping her.

Lissa was the first to pounce and embrace me when I got to the room, smoothing down the golden dress I was wearing.

"Oh my God Rose, you look stunning!" Lissa let me go to twirl me around, but then quickly wrapped her arms around me again, "Rose, we did it! I can't believe we're here, can you? You passed your trials! And tomorrow Christian and I graduate! This is so surreal."

"I know, Liss. It's weird; the St. Vlad chapter of our lives is over." I say, skimming over the bandage covering the back of my neck. Finally, I was a proper Guardian, tattoo and all.

"You're happy about that, right? I know I am. No more Kirova, or curfews, or restrictions. Imagine how much we can do now that we have control over everything in our lives. Without getting in trouble for it, that is." Lissa's eyes glimmered with the choices of her new found freedom.

I laughed at her, positivity being contagious. "You know, I've grown close to Kirova. What will I do with all my spare time now that she can't mindlessly lecture me anymore? And most importantly: what will Olendzki do now that I won't finance her Hawaii vacations anymore?"

"If you feel too guilty, I think I can get the Dragomir foundation to donate to the 'Olendzki Hawaii cause'. I mean, she does deserve a medal for putting up with your injuries." She winked at me, before pulling me by the arm to the drinks table. "I think she might even show up to this. I did invite her."

While Lissa pressed a cool drink into my hand, I scanned the party. The impromptu speakers were much louder than they looked, blasting pop music I could not stand in any other setting. Students of all ages mingled, as well as some Guardian, parents and even a few teachers. Lissa had thrown this party for me, but while the invitations were being spread, the focus had been taken off me and this had become a celebration for the whole Novice class, something I was more than happy to share.

Eddie came up behind me while I reminisced about some of my stranger injuries, and gave me a bear hug. I returned the gesture by messing up his hair.

"Dang Rose, looking hot. There are kids here, you know."

"Everything essential is covered. To what degree, can be discussed." I winked at him, and his smile made me realise just how much I might miss him if he got relocated somewhere far away.

"Well, lucky us, the academy won't be part of that discussion any longer. Cheers to that!" Eddie said, raising his glass.

"Cheers!" Liss and I mimic his gesture and I take a hearty sip of the spiked punch.

"So what were you ladies talking about?" Eddie asked.

"Some of Rose's more… unorthodox injuries." Lissa grinned, and launched back into the story of my broken tailbone, one of the more embarrassing tales of when I threatened to beat up a senior Novice while I was still a freshman, and all he had to do was push me and I landed on my ass so hard I broke my coccyx.

Eddie and Lissa were cracking up at the memories, while I was begging them to remember my more badass injuries, like the broken ribs and dislocated knees.

All the while, I searched the room over and over for him. Dimitri had said he would come, and his promises were ones to be trusted. Normally. I brushed my fingers over the fresh coat of nail polish I was wearing, dark red, to contrast my gold dress.

Meredith and a few other classmates of mine joined in in reminiscing about various accidents we had been a part of over the years, so while they were doing that, it was easy for me to slip off unnoticed.

When I looked back at Lissa, who was absolutely glowing, I was jealous. This graduation meant her freedom: finally free of the bonds of school, finally turning eighteen, finally getting to do what she's always wanted. For me, however, it mean the end of my freedom: my job was to protect her. My life amounted to nothing else in the eyes of society.

"What was that?" I spun around, ashamed I hadn't noticed Christian's presence here before. "Leaving the centre of attention? Voluntarily? That's not the Rose I know."

"Well one of us has to slightly change to keep Lissa on her toes. And since you're fulfilling all the Christian criteria with dark clothes and sarcasm and anti social behaviour at a fucking party, I thought I'd take one for the team." I said.

Christian placed a hand on his heart, or well, as I learned, where he thinks the heart is. "You think of us as a team? Aw Hathaway, you're going all mushy on me."

He leaned in the hug me, and surprising us both, I actually leaned in too and gave him a sincere hug. Guess I actually am going mushy.

"So you were pretty badass at your trial." Christian tried to negate the awkwardness of the hug someplace else. "I swear I saw some Guardians being taken to the clinic once you were through with them."

"Aw, now you're just trying to make me blush, Ozera." I grinned, this information inflating my ego. He shot me a weird look.

"Only for you, that would be blush-worthy." I stuck out my tongue at him. "Oh! I almost forgot. Tasha wanted to talk to you too, probably to congratulate you. Let me just find her."

He looks around himself, trying to track down Tasha, and when he spots her, he waves. I turn, to try and see her too, but when I find her, she was definitely not who I was focusing on.

Dimitri was standing right beside her, in all his delectable glory. Fuck, he looked better than ever, and tonight he was even wearing a blazer, which basically meant I did nothing but obliviously stare at the way his body moved in it, while he was walking.

"Rose! Hi!" Tasha snapped me out of my drooling, but even as she hugged me tight, I managed to look over her shoulder at Dimitri. We established eye contact, and in that moment, I felt like everything changed. This was the first time we were meeting since he left. He was no longer a mentor to me, I was no longer a student or under age. This didn't change the fact that whatever was between Dimitri and I, was more forbidden now than ever.

"Hey Tasha, good seeing you again," I say, having a hard time keeping my eyes off Dimitri. Although we had kept in touch, talking and texting, it felt surreal that he had actually returned.

"I would never miss my favourites nieces-"

"Only niece," Christian interjected with an eye roll.

"-graduation." Tasha finished, unaffected. "Plus, seeing the Guardian trials has always inspired me, seeing what the new generation can achieve. Not even a few years ago, all you Novices could barely throw a punch. Today, you could all take on an army. I mean, you already did."

There was a moment of silence, something that always occurred when the Strigoi attack was brought up. Surprisingly, it was Dimitri who brought us out of the silence.

"Now, Tasha, don't start sounding so old. We all still have a lot of improving to do, when it comes to fighting Strigoi." He joked, eyes shifting between me and her.

I snorted, "Of course it would be you who would start lecturing me about how there's room for improvement on the day I aced the most important test I'll ever take. Things really don't change."

His eyes lit up, accepting the taunt.

"Oh? Acing? Where did you hear that from? From where I was sitting, there were some serious holes in your defensive stance."

"Yes, but you were sitting, along with the audience and everyone else who was not involved with my education, a category you are now part of. And for your information, Alberta told me I aced it, so that's all the praise I need."

He rolled his eyes, "I invested enough of my time into your training to tell you that even though you might have 'aced' it on paper, I could still take you down easily."

"Oh, yeah? Is that a challenge?" I step closer to Dimitri, trying to get into his space and size him up, but he looked more amused at me than intimidated.

"It's a fact, not a challenge. A challenge implies there's an actual possibility of you winning."

Before I could respond, Tasha interrupted, stepping between Dimitri and I. We had gotten a lot closer than either of us realized.

"You guys haven't even greeted each other and you're right back where you stopped. Amazing." Although Tasha meant to say this humour, I think, the tone she was using had an ugly edge to it.

Christian laughed, "To be honest, Rose challenges everyone she meets to fight. She asks me daily, several times. At this point, I think it's genetic."

"Oh yeah? Fight me." I joked.

While I had taken my eyes off Dimitri, I could feel that his eyes were still on me, and all I wanted was to be left alone with him. The tension in our relationship, that manifested the day he left, has built up, and I had no idea how to relieve it. Other than kiss him senseless. But I'm not gonna be that girl, so what I needed to do was either talk to him privately about it, or publicly spar with him. Or both.

"Oh Dimitri, look! It's Alina with her baby! Come!" Tasha took my brief moment of not focusing on Dimitri to her advantage, and started dragging Dimitri by the arm to one of their acquaintances.

"One second," Dimitri replied, and gave me one last look. "I'll see you later-" This statement held a promise I'd definitely make him keep, "And by the way… that's a nice nail polish colour you're wearing."

This compliment caused me to blush a deep, dark red, exactly like the colour of nail polish. Dimitri seemed to enjoy my blush, and smiled triumphantly at me just before he turned to leave. Damn that man, I swore to myself, trying to control my face. The effect he had on me was ridiculous.

"Did he just compliment your nail polish? That is one weird dude. I always thought so." Christian looked confused, but then again, if you didn't get the context between Dimitri and I, it was hard to understand our interactions.

Little did Christian know that, on the morning of my eighteenth birthday, a little more than a month ago, I had found a small package outside my door. Inside the box I had expected one of Adrian's ridiculously expensive gifts, or a cute pre-gift gift from Lissa. What it was, however, was a present sent by Dimitri. Inside it was a card, with a small message from Dimitri in his meticulous cursive, wishing me a happy birthday, and hoping I enjoyed the present. He had gotten me four bottles of nail polish, two in very conservative, daily colours, and two in crazy colours. Although it was such a little thing, just a way to remind me of my femininity like the lip gloss I occasionally wear, it felt like a much larger gift. It showed me just how much Dimitri listened to me, even when I complained about the most trivial things, such as when I got upset that I never wear nail polish anymore, even though I used to love it. I gushed for about an hour to Dimitri on the phone about how much I loved it, consequently making me about an hour late for class that day. Oh well.

When I look up, out of the daze I was in, remembering how much fun I have been having with the nail polish, I meet Adrian's eyes across the room. He was mad. Very, very mad.

Oh fuck, was all I could think, before making my way over to him.