Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy or anything surrounding it (but I do own this plot :D)

DPOV

My head darted round within an instant of hearing the moan. I saw Rose's do the same. We were both met with the same view:

A very awake Ivan Zeklos.

Well, as awake as one person can be after being asleep for a long period of time but he was conscious nonetheless. "Ive?" I asked, not sure to believe my eyes or if I was just hallucinating, which wouldn't really surprise me in the slightest.

"The one and only," he winced a little as he tried to re-establish contact with his upper limps. "You look like you've seen a ghost, D." he commented rasping a little whilst propping himself onto his elbows and trying to force himself into a sitting position. Rose immediately jumped off my lap and I rushed to help him up. He grunted but managed an upright position. "Oh, that hurts." He groaned and I reached for some water. "Is that vodka?" he asked hopefully, his voice somehow void of anymore pain as he perked at the thought of alcohol. I smiled fully safe in the knowledge that I was not imagining this and that Ivan…well, he was still Ivan.

I shook my head and pulled the plastic hospital chair closer to his bed. "I've missed you, Ive." I said as I gave the cup to Ivan, the relief in my voice obvious to even a person impaired of hearing.

Ivan hummed and shrugged self-righteously before a frown consumed his face. He glanced up from drinking, "Did I go somewhere?" he asked and I frowned questioningly. It was in that moment that the doctor returned; her face bright and smiling as she pulled up a clipboard.

"Hello there Ivan, how are you feeling?" she asked and Ivan just looked surprised.

"Umm, a little confused…" he said looking around the room, seemingly taking in his surroundings for the first time. "Where am I?"

My eyes widened and Rose's did the same. Dr. Olendzki looked momentarily surprised but covered it quickly with a soft smile. "You are in a hospital, Ivan. Do you remember why?"

"Hospital!?" he said sounding shocked. "Are you absolutely, one hundred percent sure?"

Dr. Olendzki smiled at his accusing tone. "Yes, Ivan."

Ivan narrowed his eyes. "Are you absolutely, one hundred percent sure you're absolutely, one hundred percent sure; cause I was definitely just with D and this girl, Rose, who he is totally head over heels with but won't say anything about it." I felt my cheeks warming and I looked down embarrassed. "Oh, hey, Rose." He said, seemingly noticing his slip up. I glanced over enough to see her give him a small wave and me a smirk. "Sorry, dude." he said warily in my ear; I turned my head to face him and cocked an eyebrow.

"Do you remember anything after that?" Dr. Olendzki asked calmly, recording notes on her clipboard.

"Well, I mean, I left to go see-oh." And suddenly recognition lit up his face and he leaned back against the bed. "Yeah…that happened…" he trailed off and the doctor smiled.

"Ivan, you are going to be just fine. Your vitals are completely stable and you have some great friends looking out for you." She smiled and Ivan met her gaze again, his eyes sparkling like they do before he starts flirting.

I inwardly groaned as he smiled brilliantly at her. "Well, I'm sure they didn't do everything…Samantha?" he asked reading her name tag. I proceeded to sigh outwardly and rolled my eyes as Rose chuckled behind me.

Dr. Olendzki smiled, catching on to what he was doing, and put her clipboard down at the foot of the bed. "Everything is in order; we just want to run a few more tests before you are free to go, Mr Zeklos."

"Oh, what happened to Ivan?" he asked, playing hurt.

"My apologies, Ivan." She corrected before leaving the room.

"Oh, yeah." Ivan said, watching the door as he leaned back on the headboard on his hands. "I am good." He smugly sang. I shook my head and heard Rose chuckle again. He glanced back to me and his face turned a little serious. "So…how long exactly have I been out?"

"A little over a week." I replied uneasily and his eyes widened.

"That long, huh?" he said before reposition himself into a more comfortable sitting arrangement. "Shit." He muttered before his eyes reached Rose again. "So, young Rose," he began, clearing his throat as his lips slowly curled upward, "has Dimitri here informed you of his minor, major crush or have I just made everything ridiculously awkward?" he smirked.

I hung my head down in embarrassment as Rose let loose a full, beautiful laugh. "No, I have been informed."

"You have, huh?" he acknowledged, glancing at me before his eyes widened and he did a double take. "Wait, you have?!"

"Mhmm." She hummed, plonking herself down on my lap and pecking my lips. The action took me a little by surprise but I was more than willing to comply. As with every touch we shared, a bolt of electricity jolted through us and made the world dissipate, even in that short moment. I could feel the intensity flaring and the tension increasing between us and I knew she had felt it too.

We were only brought out of our little world by a rather rowdy cheer, accompanied by a round of applause. I snapped out of my daze enough to glare at Ivan who just looked pleased with himself. "Hallelujah!" he cheered and Rose chuckled, turning to face him. "Oh, Rose, you had no idea what it was like living with him."

"We didn't live together..." I pointed out but was promptly ignored.

"It was awful: the incessant stream of Roza this and Roza that. Urgh, it was unbearable." He flashed me an evil grin and I scowled as Rose burst out laughing.

"Thanks, Ive." I said dryly and he grinned.

"Anything for you, D." He winked and Rose laughed again. "It's what you get when you break a pact with your best friend." He said accusingly, glaring at me playfully and I raised a sly eyebrow. "Hey, I'm all good with you having a girlfriend, but what was that old saying? Bros before h-"

"If you have any plans about seeing tomorrow, I suggest you don't finished that sentence, buddy." Rose threatened seriously and I chuckled.

Ivan ginned again. "Oh, I have missed you too, Rose." She rolled her eyes as the door opened again. In stepped, not the doctor, but Ibrahim. He was looking at his phone and I saw Ivan stiffen considerably beside me.

"Rose, Vasilisa was calling after you," he informed glancing up and noticing Ivan sitting up. "Mr. Zeklos, welcome back to the world of the living." He flashed a devious smirk and Ivan glanced over to me and then to Rose who just shrugged.

"Damn, I forgot you were Zmey Jr..." Rose rolled her eyes as Abe chuckled amusedly.

"Will you be okay?" she asked me and I smiled.

"Always." I replied and she smiled.

"Good, because I have something for you," I frowned as she picked up her bag that she had graciously dumped beside us upon her arrival and produced a plastic wallet. "From Lissa." She grinned handing it to me. I chuckled when I saw the musical bars and glanced back at Rose. "You better get practising because Lissa is a force to be reckoned with…" she said pointedly.

I laughed. "Of course," I smiled and she brought her lips down to my own, sealing our goodbye in a sweet and blissful dance. She pulled back and winked before making her way over to her father, bidding Ivan farewell in a small salute. I watched them go before my attention was brought back with Ivan clearing his throat and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Man, I did miss a lot." He said teasingly and I softly pushed him away. Dr. Olendzki came back in and began to run some tests on Ivan, checking and double-checking everything, before running through some rules and regulations that Ivan would have to adhere to should he wish to be released. His face fell when alcohol had to be taken off the menu and the doctor recommended a councillor to help deal with the withdrawal symptoms of his past endeavours. I was secretly glad that Rose had left when she did. I hated lying to her – keeping the real reason as to why Ivan was shot form her – but I just didn't want to risk it.

Ivan wasn't happy with the idea but was not about to argue with a medical professional. He just grumbled his consent before Dr. Olendzki smiled apologetically and wandered back out. I rose to my feet to help Ivan up, who was making a thorough effort to crack out the stiffness from every bone in his body. When I gave him a bewildered look, he simply shrugged and pulled of the covers of the bed.

"You have got to be kidding me!?" he groaned and I had a hard time suppressing my laughter. "No wonder I was out for so long: who the fuck wants to be conscious wearing this!?" he exclaimed, gathering the plastic-y blue hospital gown in his fists and looking at me like I had grown a second head. I managed to stifle my amusement and handed him his clothes seemingly indifferent to his situation, but he, much like Rose, was always able to see past my defences so scowled in the process of snatching his trousers from me. Before he put them on, his face turned thoughtful and then he appeared to reach an epiphany. "That must have been why she wasn't interested…" he mused.

"Yeah, it was the clothing…" I said rolling my eyes.

"Well, I know it wasn't the charm." He winked pulling his belt to his hips. I shook my head as he put on the last of his clothing and ceremoniously dumping the gown in the trash and stamping it down with his foot.

We left the hospital shortly after that, walking (Ivan downright refused the wheelchair. Said it would 'cramp his style' even more) past the teenage receptionist and watching him flinch as I came into range. Ivan laughed heartedly. I rolled my eyes and led him to my car. As I informed Abe earlier, Detective Sonya was still investigating all the details of Ivan's case but Jesse and Ralph Sarcozy had managed to slip back into the shadows of New York. She said that she had made her personal mission to put them behind bars and assured me that she would see it through to the timely, but inevitable bitter end. In spite of everything about the guy, Abe's apparent fondness and trust over Sonya's skills was very comforting – the guy may have been known for his terror, but that only made his opinion all the more respected.

Thus, Ivan's apartment was currently compromised, in that Sonya had taped it off as a crime scene and no-one was allowed in. I drove Ivan back to mine. Take That came through the stereo and I realised I had not taken the CD out of the player. My thoughts drifted to my Roza and my heart fluttered. Evoking a smile, I turned Gary Barlow up and let the melody fill my head. Ivan widened his eyes and raised his eyebrows but didn't comment, for which I was grateful; though I could've done without the knowing, smug smirk.

We arrived at my apartment and I pushed our way in, settling Ivan down on the sofa.

"D, could you get me a beer?" he asked before remembering. "Fuck." He cursed and I smiled a little.

"Here." I said, offering him a non-alcoholic to which Ivan grimaced.

"This is what it had come to…" he said melodramatically. I rolled my eyes and sat down opposite. "Next thing you know, I will be going to tea parties with people with names like Patricia, Margarita and Piccadilly." He cringed before taking a wary sip. "Oh, it is the end of an era!"

As Ivan continued to swoon over-dramatically, I continued to smile. Not speaking, not interrupting, just listening as I always had. I had nearly lost Ivan that day. He had been my best friend – the first constant I had – and so I sat and listened as he continued rambled on about nothing in particular, but just because he wanted to. It was something he did often, but it made him, him. Some may have found it displeasing but I had gotten over it long ago.

A small part of me seemed to remember that not 24 hours ago, he was unconscious on a bed, heart un-beating whilst mine was flooded with grief.

But that didn't matter because he was here now.

He was the same as he always had been – as though nothing had happened in the slightest. But through it all, I had come to realise just how much he meant to me; more significantly, I had come to realise just how quickly my life could fall apart: each tiny, insignificant moment become more precious in seconds.

I once thought it was a weakness – a sign of a coward – to allow myself to care. I had once dismissed it – tossed away any raw emotion like it was nothing. It had frozen my heart; made me unbearable; tainted me beyond recognition. But, for the time since I found out I might be fired from a job that I hated, everything seemed alright. Arguably, a little unstable, but that was my life. I realised that I couldn't waste it anymore; I couldn't hold back or hide or avoid difficulties through distractions.

I realised just how much I wanted to hold on to the people I cared about.

"Hey, D: you okay there, man?" Ivan said waving his hand over my face. I blinked out of whatever phase I had fallen in and managed a puzzled look.

"Yeah, why'd you ask?" I queried.

He just shrugged. "You just seemed to space out there."

"Well, you were talking…" I said teasingly.

"Oh, hardy ha ha, aren't we hilarious." He sang sarcastically before a devious glint flashed in his eyes. "Thinking about Rose…?" Technically, yes, but I wasn't about to give him that satisfaction. So I elected to glare at him instead, which really didn't help my cause. "I'll take that as a yes." He grinned and I rolled my eyes before pushing myself off the couch.

"Chinese or Indian – I don't have any food in the house?" I asked.

"D, come on," he stared at me confounded, "Chinese all the way." I smirked and went to go find the menu that had been shoved through my door ages ago. Before I could dial the number, my phone buzzed and I opened the text from Alberta.

Mr. Dashkov has given you rest of the week off – you don't need to come back until Jan 5th. Hope Ivan is okay. Have a good holiday.

I smiled a little and typed my reply and thanks, highly doubting that Viktor had given me that time off of his own back. Thank God I had managed to give Alberta that payrise.

"Do you want to put a film on?" I called after sending it off and his head perked up.

"Oh, I should get shot more often: food and a movie! You're spoiling me, D! Careful or Rose will get jealous." he exclaimed and I shook my head, placing the phone to my ear.

"Is that a yes then?"

He grinned again. "You betcha. Although I am taking a stand – banning all John Wayne, cowboys or films you know the entire script of and mouth along with it: do you know how annoying that is!?" I chuckled as he crawled his way off the couch and over to my DVD collection where he commenced browsing.

Food arrived half an hour later; Ivan had already shoved Fast and Furious Five into the player and was already trying to convince me of the benefits of fast cars over cowboys and horses.

You'd think after eighteen years he be getting somewhere with it.

"You are impossible, dude." He huffed and stabbed a piece of pork with a chopstick.

I chuckled. "Not impossible, just stubborn." I said remembering how Rose had said the exact same thing to me just before she asked me to sponsor Adrian.

"Mhmm," he hummed. "Speaking of Rose, have you guys…you know?"

I shook my head but resisted the eye roll. "No."

"No?"

"No."

"Huh." He commented raising his eyebrows and leaning back on the sofa. "You must really like this girl." He smiled and I returned it.

"Yeah, I really do, Ive." I sighed and put the rest of my shredded beef on the coffee table.

"She must really like you too, I mean, if she was willing to look past our past…activities." He said brining his non-alcoholic drink to his lips. Before I could stop it, I flinched and Ivan glanced over. "Wait, you have told her?" Suddenly fast cars seemed more appealing than ever. "Oh, Dimitri…" he groaned hanging his head in his palms.

"I can't risk it." I said simply and he continued to groan.

"Oh, mate." He pulled his face up, placed his pork down and massaged his temples. "You might be making a really big mistake."

"I-I can't risk it." I repeated a little weakly.

He sighed and sat up. "I understand, I really do, it's just this is all going to come out eventually and it's not going to be pretty." He rested his head on the back and looked up. "It's like a wound left too long that it gets infected: all the more painful."

"I know." I sighed as the consequences of my decision became very transparent.

"It's gone past the point of return, huh?" he said glancing over and I nodded.

"Yup." I said popping the 'p' and flopping back against the couch. "Ivan I can't loose her." Even I could hear the desperation in my voice.

Ivan hesitated before speaking again. "You love her. You really do love her, don't you, D?"

There really was no point in denying it any longer, even if I couldn't tell her about my past, I could tell her one thing: one thing that I knew to be truer than anything else in this world:

"Yeah, Ive, I love her. So much it hurts."

RPOV

"Liss?" I called, wandering into her apartment without knocking as I normally did. I had gotten Abe to drive me her and then told him he could return to his brandy as I highly doubted he wanted to sit through whatever Lissa and I would be doing. He laughed but agreed. After an only slightly awkward hug – which he seemed to be over the moon about – we parted ways and I walked into the apartment.

"Rose?" Lissa's voice sounded surprised, but when she appeared in the living room her face changed. "Rose!" she squealed and brought me into a spine-crushing hug.

"Lissa!" I wheezed under her grip. You'd be surprised at how strong that girl could be.

But she made no effort to alleviate my inability to breathe. "Oh my God, Rose, I was so worried. I called, but your mobile was off. Mia said you had run out the Inn with your father unexpectedly. I thought something happened to you!" she exclaimed as she pulled back quickly. The sudden change in pressure made me dizzy but I could still see the flare in her jade eyes. She pounded my arm with her fist; an action more surprising than painful. "Never do that again, Rose." She warned furiously but the worry was clear in her eyes.

"Sorry, Liss," I managed after a brief coughing fit. "Dimitri needed me. His best friend was in the hospital and his heart stopped." Lissa's eyes widened and all the fury left them in seconds.

"Oh my God, is he okay?" she gasped.

I smiled and plonked myself onto the couch. "Yeah, he's okay, but that is why I left in such a hurry. I'm sorry for making you worry."

"No, no, it should be me apologising." She said waving off my regret whilst delicately placing herself on the arm of the couch. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you. Or hit you. Are you okay?"

"Don't worry yourself, it's okay, really, Liss." I assured and she offered a small smile. "So…" I trailed off, "you called?" A wide grin seeped onto her face and any and all other emotions were promptly set aside. I raised my eyebrows.

"Rose…" she began, struggling to hide her excitement, "I'm showing!" she squealed and my jaw dropped.

"Lissa, really?!" she nodded furiously and I scooted closer to her as she raised her top, only slightly, and there – barely visible, but still there – was a small, swollen bump. My fingertips gently brushed the skin and she squealed even more. "That's incredible, Liss."

"I know! Apparently I'm a little further along than we thought." she explained before squealing again. "Little tadpole in there is really growing!"

"Little tadpole?" I questioned amusedly.

But Lissa just seemed oblivious as ever. "Well, we don't know the gender yet, and I don't really want to call him or her an 'it' so…" she shrugged, tracing her stomach with her fingers. "That and on our last scan, Christian said he or she looked like a tadpole." She giggled and I rolled my eyes fondly.

"Just don't call the kid 'Frog' when the little tadpole comes out." I stated pointed and she gently shoved my shoulder. I shoved her back.

As I continued to smile with Lissa, the hours flew by like leaves in a winter breeze. Any problems we'd been facing seemed to dissipate with that same breeze; carried away so that we could really just enjoy each other's company, free from reasonability and worry. Sure, that would all come back in the morning, but it was nice to just stop and stand still for a while. Or in our case, laugh our way through baby names for hours on end.

"I am not calling my baby Romeo."

"It worked for the Beckhams." I raised my arms in defence and she laughed. "Hey, just be glad I didn't suggest Casanova." That had her laughing even more. "Casanova Romeo Dragomir-Ozera, actually I think that may be a keeper."

"You're insane." She said but her good-nature prevented any real insult coming through in her tone.

"You're right, I don't think Adrian will best please if he isn't even mentioned in the middle name." I said as seriously as I could. "You know, that does mean if it is a girl, it will have to be Adriana."

She laughed. "You know, I actually like Adriana."

"To bad it comes with the handicap of a bigger-headed uncle." I said pointedly and she giggled again. The sound of Lissa's ringtone filled the room. She held up a delicate finger and pulled out her phone. She frowned but answered anyway.

"Heya Mia...…um, no…what!?" she covered the microphone and leaned towards me. "Turn the TV on, news channel." I frowned before reaching for the remote and turning the television on. What I saw made my jaw drop so low that I had a hard time trying to pull it up:

"… reporting live from the heart of Manhattan, where local detectives have located and apprehended the infamous Sarcozy brothers, after years of evading detection. The lead detective, Detective Sonya Karp, brought them into custody earlier this evening. Details of the investigation are being withheld but…"

I watched in shock as the two brothers – Jesse and Ralph – were pushed into the precinct, hands cuffed, by a relatively young red-head wearing a proud but relieved smile. Camera lights flashed all around them but they offered no reaction.

"That was the guy fooling around with Mia." Lissa gasped, pointing towards Jesse, the one with the lighter brown hair. I nodded, but I knew them better as the brothers who had shot Ivan. Lissa uncovered the microphone and began to comfort an evidently hysterical Mia as I mentally slapped myself. I had seen these guys walk in and out of the Inn for months and not gotten more than a bad vibe.

But didn't Dimitri say that the detective – Sonya Karp – was having trouble finding these two?

I felt my phone buzz in my pocket and pulled it out to reveal a text from Abe. I frowned – mostly because I had no idea how he got my number, but then again, that shouldn't have surprised me – but brushed it off before reading the message. Suddenly, everything became crystal clear:

Consider it an early Christmas present. With love, Abe.