A/N:

Alright boys and girls,

I know I said that the next chapter would upload much later in the week. But I've ignored my entire family for half a weekend just to get this chapter done. Dimitri was a hot mess and I couldn't leave him like that for too long.

Thank you for reading, following and favoriting! I want to thank all the reviewers! (If there's a reviewer out there that I haven't replied to let me know I'm a piece of shit and the grievance will be rectified. Except for guests for obvious reasons… and Lizz91 and Mamado who I can't reply to even though I really, really want to, but because the private message feature is disabled on these accounts I can't. Is that on purpose, Lizz91? Mamado? Let me know and I'll stop bugging about it :-D ).

Chapter 9 coming at you!

Cheers,

K

"Rose", Lissa knocked lightly on her best friend's door, even though it was wide open. "Is everything alright?" she asked when Rose looked up from her textbook.

"Fine, why?" Rose was clipped.

"You've been very quiet lately. You hardly leave your room when we're home. You don't don't fight with Chris. You barely speak with Dimitri or Eddie or me", Lissa hesitated if she should continue. She decided Rose needed to hear it even if it wasn't what she wanted to hear. "Your eyes are always red".

"I'm not doing drugs, if that's what you're asking, Liss".

"No Rose, that's not what I'm asking", she puffed out her cheeks and blew out an exasperated breath. "You've been crying for days. I know you think you hide it, that I don't see it or hear it. But I do. I wanted you to come to me with whatever you're going through. But you haven't. And now I'm just worried about you, sweetie".

Rose felt bad. In trying to protect her charge she neglected her best friend.

When Rose didn't reply, Lissa said, "I'm your best friend, Rose. I want to help you. You can tell me anything". She was met with silence again. "Tomorrow's Friday. How about we ditch and hang out, just the two of us?" Lissa was desperately trying to at least cheer Rose up.

Rose smiled. "I'd like that".

They made plans to get mani-pedis, foot massages, do a little shopping and pig out non stop all day. Just what Rose needed.

When Lissa left Rose to her own devices, Rose thought of her behavior the whole week. She thought she was being so good about keeping her emotions in check. If Lissa had heard her cry, Dimitri not doubt heard it as well.

Dimitri. Even the thought of his name hurt. Since that Saturday morning, they'd only spoken to each other when it was necessary, like during shift change or when it was a socially required of them. They stopped training together. They were never alone in the same room.

They didn't talk about what happened between them. They never brought it up in any context. They were ignoring it. Or at least Rose thought they were ignoring it.

Rose and Lissa had their day-o-fun and it really cheered Rose up. Not being in the house, not having to think about what she had done, was liberating. She even enjoyed the shopping. Especially since she had her own spending money now with her guardian wages, meager as they were.

But that night, when everyone had gone to bed, as they were about to switch shifts, Dimitri asked Rose if they could talk.

And there it was. What Rose had been dreading all week. Talking. No good ever came from talking.

They sat at the kitchen table when Dimitri dropped the bomb on Rose. "I'm going to ask for a transfer".

Rose blinked a few times. She wasn't sure she heard him right. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You heard me", he answered, but repeated it just the same. "I'm going to ask for a transfer".

"Why?"

"Because I don't think I can take living in the same house as you for much longer. Not when you won't even look at me".

Rose was staring intently at her belly button.

Dimitri laughed without humor. "You can't even looking at me now".

He shook his head, "Do you have any idea what the past week has been like for me?", he asked rhetorically. "Having to go back to that room? I can't sleep in my own bed. I've been using the couch during the day when you're all at classes."

Rose had left him standing in his room, broken and naked, staring at the closed door, tears spilling over his long lashes and running down his cheeks. He tried to get her smell out of his room. He washed his sheets, opened the windows for days on end, aired out his mattress. But nothing worked. Dimitri began thinking maybe it was all in his head.

Rose swallowed the lump in her throat and looked him in the eye. It was the first time she'd seen those beautiful brown orbs of his since she broke their hearts. And all she was met with was pain. "Please, don't do this. It'll get easier".

Dimitri looked less than convinced. "It's too late Roza. I already put you above anyone else. And I can't continue in good conscience to guard the princess when I know that she's not my first priority. It's better for Lissa to have a different guardian, one who can put her first".

Rose felt like her heart was breaking all over again. "Where will you go?" Not Tasha, not Tasha, not Tasha, she repeated in her head over and over.

"I have good standing with someone on the allocation board. I can pull some strings and get assigned to St. Basil's".

"You'd rather go back to guarding classes than staying here?" Rose's outrage was not masked.

"No, I was thinking of teaching classes", Dimitri answered calmly, unfazed by Rose's anger. If anything, mentoring Rose at the academy made him realize he liked teaching and he was good at it. "And I'll be closer to my family".

"When?" This was too much for Rose to process. She was able to express herself monosyllabically only.

"I'll ask to transfer when the semester ends. That way, when you go back to court during summer vacation, you can get a chance to meet my replacement and get to know him or her before living in the same apartment". He'd really thought this through.

Rose was trying so hard not to cry. "I've already lost you, I don't want Lissa to lose you too".

"You haven't lost me, Rose. I'm still right here", he reached across the table and placed his hand over hers. He hoped they could reconcile before his transfer. And if they couldn't, maybe the distance would do them some good.

"Can you please, please just give it some more time?" Rose cried silently.

"Are you going to change your mind?" he asked but wasn't really expecting an answer. Met with staggering silence he questioned, "Then why do you think I'll change mine?"

The silence was like a chasm between them. It was a mercy when Dimitri finally spoke. "The allocations board convenes in 2 weeks. With my connections I can get away with late admission. I have a month to hand in my transfer request".

Rose nodded. She didn't know what the hell could possibly change, but she nodded. She wiped her eyes and had no idea how she was supposed to sleep after that conversation.

"Hey guys, I need a favor", Christian waltzed into the kitchen. "Am I interrupting something?" The saying cut the tension with a knife came to mind.

"No", Rose quickly answered, "we were just doing our routine handover".

Chris let it go. He could tell she was crying. But Lissa specifically told him to leave Rose alone and not antagonize her. It was getting to the point where he was worried too. So was Eddie. They hadn't seen Rose like this since Mason's death.

"What do you need Chris?" Rose asked.

"Lissa just got her period and needs me to go to the drug store and buy her some… stuff".

Rose laughed. "You're a grown ass man, you can say the word tampons!"

"Whatever", Chris answered cleverly. "Why can't she just borrow yours?" he asked Rose.

"Uh-uh. She has her brand, I have mine". Rose rolled her eye. How could he not know this? "Lissa is very particular about what sticks in there", she smirked, "yet she still has sex with you", she chuckled.

Chris was biting his tongue. He promised Lissa he'd be good. "Anyway, Eddie's already asleep, I don't want to wake him. Can one of you, please, go with me? Lissa would kill me if I went alone."

"Let's go, then", Rose made for the door.

"No, Rose", Dimitri stopped them. "You stay here with Lissa. I'll go with Christian".

Though Rose was dying to see Christian freak out at the pharmacy, she wasn't going to argue with Dimitri. She was trying to get back on his good graces. But she could tell what he was doing.

Dimitri knew Rose wasn't sleeping well. He wasn't either. But her shift was already over, she'd has a long day and she'd be safer in the apartment, behind the wards. That kind of thinking was exactly why he should transfer.

Rose knew Dimitri and Christian would be out for at least 45 minutes with the driver to the all night pharmacy and back. So she decided to do the night shift perimeter check.

She soon found herself wandering into Dimitri's room. She stared at Dimitri's bed. She was assaulted by the memories. She would have felt tortured too if she had to stay in that room. The only difference between her and Dimitri was that all she could smell was him.

Later Rose checked on Lissa. She was balled up on the bed. Lissa wasn't sleeping yet. "Hi Rose? Can you get me a hot water bottle? I have cramps from hell".

"Sure, sweetie".

By the time Rose got Lissa her water bottle and some tylenol, she noticed that it had been an hour since Dimitri and Christian left. "Shouldn't they be back already?" Lissa's worry only mirrored Rose's.

"Yeah", she answered. "I'll try calling them".

The call went straight to voicemail. Maybe they're in the elevator now.

As if to answer Rose's pondering, the front door slammed open and Christian and Dimitri staggered in, Dimitri was leaning heavily on Christian. Christian was practically dragging Dimitri into the apartment.

All the ruckus they were making had alerted not only Rose and Lissa but Eddie as well. Without skipping a beat, Eddie was on Dimitri's other side, supporting his weight.

"Careful", Christian warned.

"What the hell happened?" Rose yelled. She was horrified. What would take down her Russian god other than…

"Strigoi", Chris answered. "Three of them. The fuckers jumped us on the way back to the car".

Lissa rushed to close the door behind them.

"Get me to my room", Dimitri groaned. "The first aid kit is in there".

Christian and Eddie pulled off Dimitri's duster before sitting him on his bed. Rose suddenly woke from her state of shock and gasped at the blood soaking the side of his shirt. Eddie quickly cut the shirt off him. Dimitri's ribs were bruised, no doubt broken.

"Oh, Dimitri", Lissa approached him. "Let me heal you".

"No".

Lissa looked puzzled.

"Dimitri", Rose was just as surprised, "You have a hole in your chest, broken ribs, a busted ankle, we don't even know if there's internal bleeding. Just let her heal you".

"No", he answered adamantly. Gesturing to gaping wound on right side above just below his rib cage, he said "It's not a hole, it's a scratch and it's nearly closed", he lied. "My ankle is just sprained. And I know I don't have internal injuries. I'll be fine in a few days".

"You can't know that", Rose groaned. "And that", she pointed to his still bleeding wound, "needs stitches. If you're not going to let Lissa heal you, we're going to a hospital".

"No we are not", Dimitri growled. "There isn't a hospital in the area that can treat dhampir and you know it".

"Dimitri, please", Rose begged him.

Lissa looked between Christian, Rose and Dimitri. Eddie had appeared with the first kit in hand. "You can stitch him up, Rose", Lissa said. Everyone looked to her. "You took that first aid class when we lived in Portland. Remember the instructor said you had a natural talent, hands of a surgeon, yada yada yada".

"Do it", Dimitri instructed.

"That asshole was hitting on me, Lissa!", Rose ran her hand roughly through her hair. "This is insane, you need to see a doctor".

"Do. It", Dimitri said weakly. He was pale.

Eddie had already prepped some gauze with rubbing alcohol and threaded the needle.

"Fuck!" Rose rushed to the bathroom to wash her hands. She came back with newfound resolve. "I can't do this with everyone breathing down my neck. Get out".

The room emptied. Rose fell to her knees before Dimitri. She took the gauze. "This is going to sting". She cleaned Dimitri's wound as he raggedly breathed in and out.

"This is absurd!" Rose hissed. "Why won't you let Lissa heal you?"

"Because of the darkness".

"I will take Lissa's darkness", Rose almost yelled.

Dimitri grabbed her hand before she started stitching and looked deep into her eyes. "That's why I won't do it".

Rose shook her head angrily, tears threatening to spill over. "If this doesn't work, or if you pass out from blood loss, she's healing you. End of story", Rose informed Dimitri, leaving no room for argument.

She dutifully stitched the cut. Dimitri grunted every time the needle pierced his skin. He tried to focus on something else, but all that was in front of him was Rose. Her eyebrows furrowed, her lips pursed with concentration. He could tell by the beads of sweat that formed on her forehead that she was nervous. Every time the needle went in, she winced at Dimitri's grunts. It was endearing.

When she was finished, Rose bandaged the wound. "There", she said, "It's done". She sniffled and rose to her feet. "You guys can come in now", she called to the door, knowing her friends were waiting impatiently outside. Rose collected all the bloody gauze and needle to the trash and went to wash up again.

"How are you, Dimitri?" Christian asked.

"I'll live". He tried to get up.

Eddie pushed him back down. "Where do you think you're going? Lay down".

They didn't know Dimitri didn't want to be in that room any longer than he had to. So he laid down. He couldn't really move around anyway.

"What happens now?" Chris asked.

"Now", Rose answered calmly, "We follow protocol. We call it in to headquarters, report the incident, make sure the alchemists do a clean up, and request an additional guardian to fill in for Dimitri until he heals".

Dimitri was impressed by Rose, though he shouldn't have been. Her thinking was always quick. She always had a plan. Even if it was reckless at times.

"Dimitri already called the alchemists", Chris informed.

"Good", Rose nodded. "Chris, Lissa, try to get some sleep", she dismissed them. "Eddie, you too. I'll take first watch, you take second".

The did as they were told and evacuated Dimitri's bedroom. Rose turn to Dimitri, "I'm going to get my laptop. We're going to phone this in and then send an official report". She turned to leave, "I'll be right back. Make the call".

Dimitri nodded. At least calling in the incident gave him something else to focus on other than he was in the bed where he and Rose made love no more than a week ago.

Rose made it all the way to the kitchen before she broke down. Now that she was fairly sure Dimitri would be okay, she let go all the panic and worry and rage she had buried deep inside. She shuddered and heaved. Rose was startled when Christian put a hand on her shoulder.

"He's going to be okay", Christian assured her, seeming to understand what Rose was going through. He might not have known the nature of her and Dimitri's relationship, but he knew they were close, and that what almost happened tonight devastated her.

Rose nodded and let Christian pull her into a hug. "Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?" Rose questioned, realizing that he could have been killed just as easily.

"I'm fine, Dimitri didn't let those monsters anywhere near me. Besides, I didn't hesitate to light those bastards up".

"What happened tonight?", she asked. "I want the truth, not the sugar coated version Dimitri is going to try to feed me".

Christian filled her in. He explained that on their way back to the car, they were surrounded by 3 strigoi. "The thing is I heard the strigoi way before Dimitri. I braced for the attack first. It was as if Dimitri was stuck in his own head." Chris had said.

Rose kept the terror off her face. The state Dimitri was in was her fault.

"It's all kind of a blur", Chris said. "Since I immediately lit up my hands, they ganged up on Dimitri. They were waiting me out, knowing if I used too much magic, I get tired real fast which made me an easy target". He took a deep breath. "They slammed Dimitri against the wall. But he recovered and staked one almost immediately. He took more punches and kicks. I lit one of them of fire, and Dimitri staked him. But the last strigoi sliced Dimitri's side with his bare hands and slammed him back against the wall". Christian swallowed hard. "Dimitri slumped to the ground and dropped his stake. When I saw it roll away I thought he was dead". If Dimitri was dead, that meant he was dead too. He didn't have enough strength to incinerate the strigoi and the strigoi knew it.

"Then what?" Rose probed.

Chris licked his lips. "I have no idea how he did it, he must have had another stake".

Rose nodded, she knew well that Dimitri always had two stakes.

"He manages to swipe his stake across the back of the strigoi's ankle. The strigoi fell back and Dimitri staked him".

Dimitri has severed the strigoi's Achilles' heel. Even a strigoi would need time to heal from an injury like that.

Christian finished by saying that Dimitri wanted him to get in the car and drive off. "He didn't want to slow me down, but there was no way I was leaving him there".

"You did good, Christian".

"So did you, Rose", he referred to her handy stitch work. "Relax, try to get some rest". Chris grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and went to bed.

Not more than 15 minutes since Rose left Dimitri to make the call to HQ, she had returned with a tray and her laptop. Dimitri had hung up when as she walked in.

"I got you an ice pack for your ankle", she placed the cold towel covered pack on his elevated ankle. "I didn't know what you would want," Rose bumbled, "But after the adrenaline rush you need to eat, so I made you a sandwich. And I brought you coffee and tea. And I got a bottle of water. I didn't know what you want", she repeated. "I brought you pain killers and I found bandages we can use to tape your ribs". The whole time Rose was sniffling and stuttering, her cheeks wet with tears.

Dimitri grabbed her trembling hands. "Roza, stop. It's okay".

"No, it's not okay! You could've died tonight!"

"But I didn't".

This wasn't the time for Rose to lean on him. He needed her to be strong. It was the least she could offer him. She wiped her tears and opened her laptop. "Let's get this report over with so you can rest".

Dimitri's recounting of the attack was almost the same as Christian's. Only a few minor details were left out. Details that were not minor to Rose at all. With the report done and sent, Rose told Dimitri to try and get some sleep.

"I'm not tired", he shrugged.

Rose knew he didn't want to stay in his bed. But he needed the rest to heal. "I have Netflix on my laptop. Let's watch something". Rose suggested.

Dimitri's eyes widened in surprise. He wondered what Rose was up to but nodded all the same. "What do you want to watch?", he asked.

Rose thought about it for a minute then with a wicked smile said, "How about Gilmore Girls?"

Dimitri suppressed an eye role, not having a clue in the faintest what the show was about. He raised his eyebrow questioning the selection.

At Dimitri's reluctance, Rose had a change of heart, remembering that in season 1 Dean broke up with Rory when he said 'I love you' and she couldn't say it back. Maybe it wasn't an ideal choice to watch. Though logically it would take ages to binge that far ahead into the season...

"Forget it", Rose said, "We're watching 'Stranger Things'. It's about the 80s, you'll love it".

"Have you seen in?" Dimitri asked.

"No, but I've heard good things", Rose shrugged. "It's supposed to be scary". She really didn't believe any human could ever know what scary really meant.

Dimitri was reclined against a stack of pillows. Rose sat beside him, trying not to get too close. She place the laptop on a pillow and the pillow half on her leg, half on Dimitri's.

Rose was really engaged in the show. From time to time she covered her eyes with her hands. Other times she clutched the hem of her shirt. She was trying to be brave, but that wasn't really working for her.

When the first episode ended, Dimitri smiled, "We don't have to watch another episode".

"Why wouldn't I want to watch another episode?!" She crossed her arms over her chest and let the autoplay start episode 2.

When Rose jumped, Dimitri chuckled, even though it hurt him.

Rose wanted to smack him. "How are you not scared?"

"I've had my fill of scary tonight".

Rose paused the show. "Do you want to talk about?"

"Now you want to talk?", anger lined his voice.

Rose huffed in response and put the show back on.

Eventually, somewhere towards the end of the second episode, Rose fell asleep, her head on Dimitri's shoulder. He didn't have the heart to wake her. Instead of watching anything else, he grabbed the book from his nightstand.

An hour later, Eddie came to relieve Rose. Dimitri claimed she'd just fallen asleep, so Eddie didn't make a fuss about it.

Sometime during the night, Dimitri received a message for guardian HQ that backup would be sent within 24 hours.

As the night progressed and the sun was rising, in her sleep, Rose snuggled closer and closer to Dimitri. After everything Dimitri had been through, and hardly sleeping that week, it was only natural that he'd fall asleep as well. Rose sleeping beside him was like a balm, the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed more soothing than the pain meds he took.

Dimitri woke much later from the pressure on his bladder. But he couldn't move. First there was Rose, who was still wrapped around him. Second was the fact that he was immobile due to his ankle and ribs. "Roza", he grunted. "Roza", he repeated when she didn't respond.

"What?" she murmured.

"Rose, get up, I have to pee", he said urgently.

"Oh! Sorry".

Dimitri tried to sit up and failed. "Fuck", he swore in Russian.

Rose didn't know what it meant, but she knew it wasn't good. "What's wrong?"

"My ribs", he answered. "I can't sit up by myself".

Rose leapt from the bed and helped him gently to his feet. He swayed and leaned on her, remembering he hurt his ankle as well.

"Let me help you". She took as much of his weight as she could, but they finally made it to the bathroom.

Both of them standing in front of the toilet, Dimitri said, "Thanks. I got it from here".

Rose blushed and excused herself. "I'm right outside the door, call me and I'll take you back to bed". As she shut the door her eyes widened at the double meaning of her own words. This was going to be a difficult couple of days.

Guardian HQ sent someone to cover for Dimitri that night. A nice woman in her late twenties. Just to put everyone at ease, Eddie trained with her on her first morning there. After getting his ass handed to him, he declared the substitute guardian was more than up to par.

.

For the next week, Rose spent every waking minute she wasn't on shift, doting over Dimitri. She'd made sure he was fed and hydrated. In the beginning, she'd even helped him get dressed. Several days after the attack, Dimitri's ankle healed nicely and he was able to move around on his own.

Every night, they'd get in their pjs and watch Netflix. They'd gone through 2 seasons of 'Stranger Things' before they moved on to a different show. Every night, Rose fell asleep in Dimitri's bed. Every night, Dimitri let her. He almost wished his ribs weren't healing. In another week, he'd be back to full active duty.

Once Dimitri regained his mobility and could sit up by himself, Rose decided it was time to go back to her own bed.

"I'm going to go back to sleeping in my own room", Rose said, when the episode of whatever they were watching ended.

"Why?" Dimitri knew why, he just didn't want her to go.

Rose turned to him. "You don't need me anymore".

Rose could see the way Dimitri's jaw flexed when he clenched his teeth.

"I don't want you to go". The words left Dimitri's mouth before his brain could stop them.

"I know", Rose nodded. "But it's not your choice. It's no good for you that I'm here. I'm no good for you".

"What are you talking about?"

Rose crossed her arms over her chest. "Christian told me what happened the night you two were attacked".

"So did I, it was in the report we sent together that night".

"He said you were lost in your own head, that you didn't even see the attack coming until he braced for it", Rose stated.

Until that moment, Dimitri wasn't sure Christian had even noticed that.

"Dimitri, you were distracted, because of me. You were in danger because your head was somewhere else. You could have been killed", Rose swallowed the lump in her throat at the thought of losing him, "because loving me is your biggest weakness". There it was, the guilt she carried with her since the attack, all on display in her eyes.

Dimitri's eyes immediately softened. He pried Rose's hand from herself and wrapped them around his torso. He engulfed her in his embrace and kissed the top of her head. "No, Roza, loving you is my greatest strength".

Rose broke out in a sob.

"Rose, I was thinking of you, when I was on the ground, when I couldn't breathe, when I couldn't save Christian. I was thinking of you and how these strigoi would search for more moroi and dhampir and I needed to end them before they got to you". He kissed her head again and stroked her hair before pulling her back so he could see her. "Loving you makes me stronger. Loving you saved my life that night", he cupped her cheek and rubbed a tear away with his thumb. "Besides, I'm too stubborn and I love you too much to ever leave you".

Rose cried harder. "But the transfer-"

He cut her off, "Physical distance will never make me stop loving you". Dimitri took her hand in his, "you are always here", and placed it on his chest over his heart.

Rose couldn't stand the distance any longer. Crying or not, she attacked his lips with hers. Dimitri returned the kiss with the same vigor.

When Dimitri's tongue met hers, Rose lost all control and pulled him down on top of her. She needed him like she needed air. She wrapped her legs around his waist and was very explicit about what she wanted when she rubbed her core against Dimitri's already erect member.

He hissed at the delicious friction. In that moment, they knew there was no going back. They needed the release in the most agonizing way.

It was only the yearning and the desire that fueled them now. Rose pulled down Dimitri's pajama pants and boxers just enough to release his manhood. As soon as he was freed, Dimitri lifted up Rose's nightie and pushed aside her ridiculously small panties. She adjusted her hips and he sunk into her, to the hilt. She sighed at the feeling of fullness.

Dimitri moved in and out of her as Rose pulled and tugged at his body, trying to get closer. The fact that they were both fully clothed was eerily erotic.

"Roza, you're crying", Dimitri's face contorted in pain as he realized Rose hadn't stopped shedding tears since before she initiate their kiss.

"No, don't stop", Rose begged. How could she begin to explain to him that her crying had morphed from that of despair to that of relief? But it was relief mixed with grief. Being with him was a relief after all the guilt and all heartache. She didn't care that it was only momentary. She knew it would hurt more in the morning, when they went back to the way things were, but she couldn't help it. "Keep going", she encouraged him by grabbing his ass and thrusting her hips upwards.

When he went back to pumping in and out of her, Rose demanded more. "Harder, Dimitri!"

"Ssshhh", he warned, after all the house was full, but he complied all the same.

Rose nodded but she was lost in the feeling of pleasure coursing through her.

"Faster", she panted. She angled her hips so he rubbed her just the right way.

Now it was Rose's turn to shush Dimitri when his grunts became louder.

As she neared her climax, Rose stopped crying. She was panting in the most unflattering way, trying not to moan loudly.

Suddenly Dimitri thrusts became wild and he stilled in her. The swell of him inside her, brought with it a tidal wave of ecstasy that was still new to Rose. The only thing keeping her scream at bay was her bite on his shoulder.

Dimitri laid his head in the crook of her neck, catching his breath. He was still sheathed in her. Rose clung to him and stroked his hair. The sex was over, but she didn't want the moment to end. She didn't want to go back to the reality where they couldn't be together.

"Sorry", Dimitri murmured. "I must be crushing you", and he shifted off of her.

Rose immediately felt the loss of warmth. "I actually kind of like your weight on me", she whispered.

Dimitri wasn't expecting that. He was expecting her to run away again. But this time he wouldn't let her.

He pulled his pants back up and yanked off his shirt that was drenched in sweat. He wordlessly cleaned Rose before straightening her panties. Rose was left awed by the intimacy of the gesture.

She sat up. Dimitri was sure now she would try to make her escape. "Where are you going?"

Rose couldn't do it. She couldn't tell him she was going back to her bed now. She couldn't stand the look on his face when she left again. She couldn't look into those big doe eyes and tell him she was leaving. Again. So she just mumbled something about needed to change her top since it was soaked in sweat as well.

But Dimitri knew if she left she wouldn't come back. "My shirts are in the top drawer", he pointed to the dresser.

Rose nodded. She stood from the bed and grabbed the first shirt her hand touched in said drawer. It was a plain white tee shirt. She took off her nightie and changed, completely ignoring Dimitri as his eyes roamed her body hungrily. His tee shirt hit her mid thigh. She still stood by the bed, not sure what to do. Her head said she needed to get out of there but her heart wouldn't let her feet move.

Dimitri made the decision for her when he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the bed. She landed in a heap, with a yelp. He hugged her waist tightly and curl himself around her body, signaling to Rose that she wasn't going anywhere tonight. And for the for time since… ever, Rose relented.

The following morning started a new kind of shit storm. Christian was making pancakes and wanted to know whether Dimitri would be joining them in the kitchen or if he was serving him breakfast in bed. All week, the only one Dimitri let take care of him was Rose. Even though Chris offered his help, Dimitri always declined. Maybe he let Rose help because Rose never asked, she just did. But this time Chris didn't plan on taking no for a answer.

He also didn't really plan on knocking. He didn't think there was a need to. But when he open the door and caught Dimitri, shirtless, wrapped around Rose, who had her thigh between his legs as her shirt road up exposing her underwear, Chris let out a "My eyes! My eyes!"

Rose sat up startled. Dimitri's ribs still weren't healed so he sat slowly.

"What the fuck is this?" Christian asked with a hand on his eyes. On the one hand he wanted to know what the fuck was going on; on the other hand he really didn't want see or hear any details.

Christian wasn't some stuffy moroi who was against dhampir's getting involved romantically, but he was very against putting Lissa in danger. He finally removed his hands from his eyes. "Are you two just fucking? Please tell me this means nothing and you're just fucking."

Dimitri took Rose's hand in his. A clear declaration they weren't just fucking.

Chris rubbed his hands on his face. "Bad. This is bad. This is very very bad. What the hell am I going to tell Lissa?"

"Nothing", Rose pulled her hand away from Dimitri's and got off the bed, "You're not going to tell Lissa a god damn thing". She glimpsed at Dimitri and added, "There's nothing to tell".

Rose stalked out of his room to hers through the bathroom she and Dimitri shared. Again.

But this time, Dimitri wasn't backing down. This time Dimitri marched right after Rose, completely ignoring Christian.

Rose jumped when Dimitri burst through the door. He cupped both her cheeks with his palms, his callused hands rubbed against her smooth skin. His gaze was unrelenting. "This isn't over", Dimitri whispered. "I'm won't give up on us". He dropped his arms and turned his back to her. This time he was the one to leave Rose stunned and staring after him as he slammed the bathroom door behind him.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Don't forget to review!