Below Rock Bottom: Chapter Four "Not part of the plan"

AN: Thank you to those who have reviewed/followed/favorited. Your support is an excellent motivation to write. Now to find out what Rose thinks of Dimitri…
Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy, it is the property of Richelle Mead. While I wish I could have come up with this brilliance, I was simply inspired by it.

RPOV

We had been at court two days, and already Lissa was planning some sort of get together. I did not understand why. The only people in attendance would be Lissa, Christian, his aunt Tasha, and myself. But Tasha was already staying with us, so it would be just like any other dinner, just with formal attire. It did not make sense, but Lissa would chew my head off if I disagreed with her. Not that it was my place to disagree with her. Not anymore.

Lissa was in her element, making lists and planning everything out for the evening. My presence was not required while she stayed within the safety of the wards, so I made my way toward Guardian Headquarters to get my shift assignment for the week.

I would most likely wander around the perimeter of Lissa's apartment and stay by her side, bored out of my mind waiting for an attack that would never come. Although, the impossible happens far more often than one would think. My own experiences were proof enough of that.

I meandered around court, in no sort of rush to go back to Lissa's apartment and help with place settings or the dinner menu. Seriously, the girl needed to relax and take a step back. I would have told her as mush a few months ago. But I had changed. So had she.

We weren't as close as we once were. I had already started to withdraw from her after Mason's death and Eddie's transformation, but I did it to take my position as her guardian more seriously. I couldn't lose her too.

When Avery Lazar arrived at the academy, she drove a wedge between us further. I was too hurt by the things she was saying about me to notice the effect she was having on Lissa. Thankfully Adrian was there to bring me to my senses. After the whole situation was resolved and Adrian returned to court, our best-friend-relationship never repaired itself.

We never put in the effort to mend fences. The connection between us was broken beyond repair. Even though I could feel her remorse and her guilt, I could also feel how Avery's words were rooted deep in her mind, and the lies she told about me held some truth to Lissa.

And for that, I could not forgive her.

However, I put my personal feelings aside and let my duty to her become my life. That was our entire relationship now. Former best friends, now guardian and charge. They come first. She comes first.

—O—o—O—o—O—

I had only been to court once before, but I found my way to the large grey building easily enough. I pushed through the door and stepped into chaos. Papers scattered all over desks, chairs, and even the floor. Guardians lucky enough to be assigned desk duty bustled about the place, maneuvering around each other in an unchoreographed dance. No one knew where the others were going, but they made it work. Barely.

I was struck by the long line of my peers extending down the hallway. It seemed that each graduating novice from St. Vladimir's Academy decided that this was the moment to find out their assignment.

I joined the line, retreating into my own head and tuning out the hubbub around me. Each time the kid in front of me stepped forward, I followed suit.

I lost count of each shuffle forward, and was surprised when finally, I looked into the face of a disheveled young guardian.

"Name?"

"Uh, Rose Hathaway," I said, tapping my foot impatiently.

The guardian typed at his keyboard and looked back up at me. "I have a Rosemarie Hathaway, but no Rose."

"Yeah, that's me," I said quickly, eager to end this conversation and get out of there. The kid behind me coughed loudly.

"It would make this process easier on everyone if you gave me the correct information when I asked you for it." The guardian rolled his eyes and typed something else into the computer. He turned around to retrieve a printout and handed it to me.

"Next," the guardian said, and I was swiftly shoved to the side. Regaining my balance, I glared at the back of the Novice's head, a wide variety of cuss words itching to escape my lips.

I was silenced after glancing down at the sheet of paper in my hands.

Gripping it tightly, I shoved my way forward again. "This has to be a mistake."

The young guardian sighed, "What are you talking about?"

"This says that I am assigned to the front gate as a court guardian. I am supposed to guard Princess Vasilisa Dragomir," I stared into his dark eyes, incredulous.

"All newly graduated guardians were put on temporary assignment as court guardians. We're short staffed at the moment, and you all are picking up the slack. All royals currently residing in court do not require individual guardian protection. Consider the assignment probationary, by order of the Queen."

"No, you don't understand-" I was interrupted by the pushy novice.

"Just get over yourself already. You're not the only one waiting for a better assignment. Suck it up and do your job."

Fuming, I turned around and stormed off. I had built up my self-restraint in the past few months, but I could only handle so much provocation before my temper got the better of me.

How could they do this? I was supposed to be Lissa's guardian. It was what had I trained for years to become. It was the wish of her deceased parents. Who does the Queen think she is to interfere in something that had been decided years before?

I stopped walking in the middle of the empty courtyard.

The guardian said that this was just temporary assignment, but what if they never let me become Lissa's guardian? The Queen never liked me, she always believed that Lissa needed someone more experienced and more disciplined to oversee her safety. What if this was her plan to separate us?

I started hyperventilating. I crumpled the printout and grasped at my chest as each breath became increasingly shallow, more and more difficult to fill my lungs. I crouched down as my vision began to blur. I could feel the tears I had held back for so long burn behind my eyes.

Who am I if I am not Lissa's guardian?

—O—o—O—o—O—

I calmed down and collected myself. I straightened my uniform and made my way back to Lissa's apartment, the crumpled piece of paper still clutched in my fist.

I entered her apartment, slumping against the closed door behind me. I closed my eyes and continued to calm my breathing.

In. Out.

In. Out.

I started at the low protest of the floorboards. Quickly looking up, I stared into a broad, muscular chest. My eyes traveled farther up, past the collar of his grey button-up, protruding Adam's apple, thin lips drawn into a tight line, sloped nose, and finally meeting a pair of warm, worried brown eyes.

I gasped, unable to move farther away due to the door pressed to my back. His gaze pierced my protective shell, as though this man could see into the deepest part of my soul.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Oh my, even his voice affected me. His accent sent a shudder straight through me.

I stood there staring at the Adonis in front of me. While I wasn't complaining, I was still confused by his presence. When I realized he was expecting me to respond, I stuttered, "It's nothing, no need to apologize."

He looked at me intensely for a moment, almost taken aback. He shook his head and cleared his throat. "I assume you're here for dinner? I'm Dimitri Belikov." He extended his hand towards me.

"Rose Hathaway. And yes, I am," I slid my small hand into his warm, much larger one and shook it firmly. Quickly releasing his hand, I broke the intense gaze. Without another word, I led the way into the living room.

Lissa looked up from her conversation with Christian's aunt. "Rose! Finally, you're here. You remember Tasha, and it looks like you've met her friend Dimitri." At least his presence made sense now. He's probably another one of her boy-toys. What a shame.

"Now that everyone is here, shall we eat?" Lissa rose from her seat on the couch and led the group into the dining room. She and Christian sat at the heads of the table, Tasha sat next to Dimitri, and I sat across from the "couple".

Throughout dinner, Lissa and Tasha made mindless chatter. Christian was roped into contributing several times, by both his aunt and his girlfriend. Each time his response to their questions was clipped, and he looked far more comfortable keeping to himself.

I was left well enough alone. Lissa had learned by now that I would not engage in conversation, especially around company, and I never got on with Tasha.

Dimitri was only mentioned when Tasha reached over to grab Dimitri's forearm, and said, "Oh yes, maybe you and Christian will have an easier time convincing Dimitri here to become my guardian. I've tried to talk him into it for years. It would be a step up from what he's doing now, and certainly more respectable."

I felt my lip rise in a sneer, both at Tasha's hold on Dimitri and the way she talked about him as is he was not there. As if he was shiny new toy she wanted to take home with her.

He remained silent and impassive throughout the meal, but I did catch him stealing glances at me a few times across the table.

Once everyone was finished and the dishes were cleared, the party moved into the living room. I took up my post at the wall. Easy to maneuver, all exits and entrances visible, and close enough to Lissa to stop any oncoming threat.

Once Lissa realized what I was doing, she immediately protested. "Come on Rose. You ate dinner with us, could you please just sit down and talk?"

I had already broken protocol by eating with them, as she had mentioned. But that was all the more reason to maintain proper procedure now. "I would prefer to do my duty from here, if you wouldn't mind Princess."

I had to protect her while I had the chance. The next morning, my new assignment would begin, and Lissa would be left vulnerable. I had to do what I could for her now.

Lissa sighed but gave up. Tasha looked at my rigid posture a few times, before appearing lost deep in thought. She didn't say anything out loud though.

I felt the air move next to me as Dimitri settled against the wall to my left, imitating my stance.

Both staring straight ahead, I had a sudden urge to break the silence and learn more about him. "So Dimitri, I assume that you are a guardian here at court. Do you guard the grounds, or do you have a specific charge?"

He seemed stunned by my question for a second. He glanced at me from the corner of his eye. Once he seemed to have composed himself, he coughed and said, "I often guard the front gate, but I work privately for royal Moroi as well."

Something seemed off about his reply. I couldn't decide whether it was the hesitation, or the carefully worded response.

Dimitri confused me. His physical appearance gave the impression of firm stability, and yet he seemed rife with insecurity.

Every time he looked at me with those sad, dark brown eyes, I could see the secrets in them begging to be spoken aloud.

I found his presence next to me calming, his kindred spirit comforting mine in our shared, unspoken misery.

Tomorrow I would have to tell Lissa that I was not going to be her guardian.

But for right now, I could simply stand here, guarding Lissa for what could be the last time, standing next to someone who might just understand what it feels like to be me.

For once, I felt a little bit at ease.

-lethalwhispers