I'm sorry for any mistakes, I edited without wearing my glasses and I can't be bothered to try find them.

Enjoy!

There was silence following my words, looks being exchanged, and I was growing impatient. Dimitri squeezed my hand again, angling his body slightly so his knee was touching mine that kept bouncing. His presence calmed me, especially after this morning.

That morning I had been expecting to have sex with him and then fall asleep in his arms again, instead, I told him to fuck off and now he was silently supporting me as my parents finally explained things.

This day was giving me whiplash.

"Where would you like me to start?" Abe asked, a tilt of his head and eyebrows raised.

I hated that he put it on me to decide; so many questions flew through my mind. What happened the night of the fire? What did I have to do with the Ancients? Why didn't you tell me I was dhampir?

But one kept forcing its way to the front. "Why did you let me think you were dead?"

Abe wasn't surprised, a look of guilt filtered across his face. "There were a lot of reasons," he started. He moved his hand to cover Janine's, meeting her eyes before turning back to me. "Mainly we did it to keep you safe."

"Do you even know how I was living? How I've had to live for the past two years?"

"At the time, we thought it was better for you and made sure someone was there watching you in case you got into trouble." Abe's tone was controlled as if we were talking about the weather and not them deserting me.

Janine made a noise in the back of her throat, side-eyeing Dimitri, "Someone that wasn't meant to approach you."

"At least he told me the truth," I snapped. "Something that you should have done!"

"It was safer for you to not know about it, Rose," Janine defend. I watched my parent's fingers intertwine and briefly thought of how it might be difficult for them to see me after so long. I quickly suppressed it.

Dimitri cleared his throat, head held high as he addressed her, "I decided it was safer for me to be closer, there were more Strigoi gathering which was why I brought her back here."

"Her being aware is just as dangerous–"

"Really?" I laughed, "I felt real safe when a Strigoi took a chunk out of my neck." That made them shut up, with looks of shock on their face. "That's why Dimitri told me; because Strigoi were stalking me and they attacked. If he hadn't been there, I would have died."

"We didn't know," Janine confessed, breathing out and controlling her expression again. "Alberta said you've been patrolling?"

I rolled my eyes at the change in conversation, Janine desperate to avoid the topic that showed her mistakes. "Yeah. Which, by the way, the Strigoi were drawn to me then as well. Do you know why?"

Abe led the conversation again, "When you went through our notes, what did you find?"

I eyed him, a part of me suspicious that he kept asking me to lead the questions. While it was good to be able to ask what I wanted, I felt like it was his way of dodging revealing too much. "I read about the Ancients and about some prophecy, and somehow I'm involved in all of it."

"The Ancients aren't often spoken of; a lot of people forget about them and the information easily accessed is limited. We had been searching for more information on them since you were little, and for the last two years, we've been overseas going through documents in private collections and libraries. You've read through most of what we've found."

I had read most of what they had about the Ancients, it wasn't a whole lot, and if that was after years of gathering, I was shocked. "What have you been looking for?" I asked.

"A way to kill them," Janine supplied.

"Aren't they all dead?" Dimitri asked, he leaned forward, drawn into the conversation after spending so much time with me going through those books.

"That's what is assumed, but somehow, there is still one alive," Abe replied with a grim expression.

I rubbed my forehead with my free hand, "Okay, but what does that have to do with me?"

There was a beat of silence, and then Janine replied, "When I was five months pregnant, we were told of a prophecy of dhampir that would awaken an Ancient and bring about the wars that would bring us to the edge of extinction. If the Ancient walked again, then the Moroi would die and so would the dhampirs." Slowly, her eyes lifted to mine, face serious. "That prophecy was about you, Rose."

I didn't respond.

The words didn't even sink in straight away, my mind needing a minute to process what exactly she was saying. I felt like laughing. It was too out there for me to believe it.

"You're saying that I'm meant to awaken a bad guy and essentially bring about the end of our kind?" I didn't conceal my disbelief. I glanced around the table expecting others to find it equally outrageous, but everyone wore grave expressions.

Dimitri was shocked, fear bleeding into his expression.

"You're joking, right? I read through all of that stuff, there's nothing in there about an Ancient still being alive or about this prophecy," I argued.

"That's because the prophecy was never formally recorded for fear that it would get into the wrong hands," Abe explained calmly, "but it is all true."

"How would you know that? If it wasn't recorded, it's probably just a rumour or something."

Abe licked his lips, clasping his hands together in front of him, "We trust it, because Yeva was the one that foretold the prophecy, and she told us it was about you."

I laughed that time. "Oh, so you do know everything. Thanks for filling me in," I directed sarcastically at Dimitri's grandmother. She was unfazed, steely gaze on me.

"You weren't ready to hear the truth," Yeva informed me in an equally displeased tone. "Now you are."

I turned in my chair. My mind telling me to run, run from all the insanity, but Dimitri's hand still held mine. He kept me grounded. My eyes met his and I saw the same panic I felt. It was never a possibility when I imagined what it could all be about. Turned out it was bigger than anything I had even considered.

"I…I don't understand," I stammered, clutching onto Dimitri like he was a lifeline. "What does this have to do with the fire and leaving me in the dark about everything? I should have been told."

"We tried to hide you," Janine answered. "We thought that we could avoid anything from ever coming from it. That was why we lived so far away and didn't tell you about dhampirs or Moroi. We foolishly believed we could stop you from ever being involved in it."

There was a tone in her voice, the closest to any real emotion since she walked in. I looked back at her, "What changed?"

Janine's eyes pinched, "The Strigoi found you."

"We noticed them showing up, but they never attacked until that night," Abe continued. "We knew they were coming and planned on bringing you here, but they figured out where you were before we could get away. I sent you away before they attacked." He swallowed, eyes locked on mine as he implored, "We never meant to leave you, Rose."

My heart clenched painfully and tears welled up in my eyes. "What happened?"

"I told you to leave. I compelled you to go to your friends and that if we didn't get you by the morning, you had to leave."

You have to leave…

There was always that voice in the back of my head, it kept me moving. It was why I didn't hang around town after the fire.

"The Strigoi attacked not long after and we tried to kill them before they brought more to the house." Janine's expression was guarded again. "There were more than we expected and your father used his magic to help me fight them, but it loosened some pipes and then there was an explosion."

It was an accident. An accident. I had assumed it was at first, but after Dimitri told me they were alive I started having doubts. But it really was just an accident.

"I got injured in the fire and we had to find somewhere to hide. When we went to find you the next day, you had already left."

I stared at my parents, overwhelmed by both the prophecy and then the truth of the fire. All of it only created more questions. I stood for a second and paced into the living area, fingers dragging through my hair. None of it made me feel better.

When I returned to the table, I stood behind the chair and gripped the back tightly. "Okay, so the fire was a mistake and I was already on a bus to the city. Why didn't you tell me everything when Dimitri found me?"

"The night of the fire, everyone believed all three of us died in the house," Abe told me. "Because no one could find you at your friends, I compelled the police to say you were in the house."

"Why?"

"To make the Strigoi stop searching for you," he answered with a shrug, "and it had worked. That's why we kept our distance so that they wouldn't learn the truth. But it seemed they found you in the end."

My head started to pound, so much information was thrown at me and it confused me more. I felt like I had to reevaluate everything I felt. It sounded like they really were trying to keep me safe.

But was it enough?

"The Strigoi will keep finding you," Yeva interjected, breaking me from my thoughts. "You are having the dreams which mean a connection has been formed. All we can do now is prepare her."

"Prepared me?" I dreaded the answer, I did not need another bomb dropped on me.

The sombre look Yeva gave me sent chills down my spine. "For what is to come."

I was going to regret this. "What is the prophecy exactly?"

She appraised me for a second, and a wave of dread washed over me as she spoke, "Your blood will awaken the Ancient. One of you will live or you both will die."

"Oh." Yep, I regretted it.

I felt numb. I walked down the hall but I couldn't feel anything, I wasn't even aware of where I was going. Maybe all I did was run away because it sounded like a good idea.

One will live or both shall die.

Wasn't the best of odds.

If everything was true, the Ancient that I'm meant to release will be incredibly strong and have the ability to use magic still. I was just a dhampir that barely had a month's worth of training—I was good as dead.

I was going to die.

Maybe that was why I felt so listless. What was the point of anything if I was going to die soon?

"Rose? Hello? Anyone in there?"

I blink, surprised I was standing in front of Lissa. I didn't even see her until she waved her hand directly in front of my eyes.

She regarded me carefully, a smile on her face that I think was meant to be reassuring. "Are you okay? I was calling your name for a while."

No. "Just a lot on my mind," I replied.

She nodded in understanding, "I heard your parents were back. How's that going?"

"Can I stay with you?" the words blurted out. It surprised Lissa and I worried her response would be the same as Dimitri's.

Instead, she smiled. "I have a spare room. You can stay in there."

Relief washed over me, there was no way I wanted to share an apartment with my parents. Even if I knew everything now, I still couldn't stand being around them for too long. I needed to process everything.

After Yeva told me the prophecy I zoned out from the rest of the conversation. I think Janine said something about needing to train me but I couldn't be sure. The only person I addressed was Dimitri before I excused myself. I think I said I needed something to eat but my stomach felt so twisted that I was sure anything I ate would just come back up.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Lissa asked again, she was studying me in a way that reminded me of Adrian.

I shrugged, "I'll be fine." What was the point of screaming that I was terrified? I was going to die anyway.

I took the coward's way out and asked Viktoria to tell everyone in her family's apartment that I was staying with Lissa. I didn't want to go back in there and have to face everything. So I went up to Lissa's room and gladly joined her in watching trashy television. It was mindless and I welcomed it.

Lissa kept side-eyeing me but never asked if I was okay again, she could sense something was wrong but was waiting for me to talk about it. I didn't think I was going to be ready to talk about it for a while.

I wouldn't even know where to start.

A knock at the door made us both jump, the bowl of popcorn between us tipping to the ground.

"Shit," I swore, leaning down to pick up the mess as Lissa went to the door. The voices were hushed, drowned out by the television still blaring.

I wasn't surprised when the door closed and Dimitri walked in behind Lissa. She shot me a sly look, pushing her hair behind her ear, "I have to go see Christian for a little. I'll be back in an hour." The meaning behind her words was clear, and the smile she gave me confirmed it.

Reluctantly, I switched off the television and sunk back against the couch cushions. "Guess she knows there's something between us now," I commented after Lissa left. "I thought you would be patrolling by now."

Dimitri was in a t-shirt and jeans, hair hanging loose around his face. He stood still for a moment with his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "I requested the night off. How are you?"

I picked up one of Lissa's throw cushions, running my fingers over the soft blue material. I had managed to dodge that question when Lissa asked. She didn't understand everything happening and I didn't want to go into it again, but Dimitri did know. It was harder to keep the wall up around him.

I shrugged, unable to meet his eyes. "I'm okay, I guess. I'm not really thinking about it." Or I was trying not to.

Dimitri made his way across the room and lowered himself to the spot beside me, keeping a distance between us. I reached for him, his hand met mine instantly. It broke part of the wall I put up and crawled over until I was practically in his lap, his arms wrapped tightly around me. "I'm sorry that I yelled at you earlier," I mumbled against his shoulder, cheek pressed against him.

He sighed, lips brushing my forehead, "I'm sorry for pushing you. You were right, I didn't understand and I'm sorry I didn't try harder to do so." His apology made me smile, my shoulders relaxing just a little more. "You're mother is a very stubborn woman."

I laughed, "You noticed that, huh?" I drew back enough to see his face, "What gave it away?"

"She kept wanting to bring you back to the apartment after Viktoria told us you were staying here. It took your father and Alberta convincing her to let you have some space."

I dropped my head back down; my lower lip caught between my teeth. "I'm sorry for making you worry today."

He hummed as his fingers started to play with a lock of my hair, "I knew you were close by. Janine was just upset, though it came out more as anger. They both missed you."

"I know." I couldn't deny that or the fact I'd missed them too. "I don't think it's enough," I told him.

I felt his cheek rest on the top of my head. "I know."

We sat in silence, just enjoying the moment we had together. I could almost be lulled to sleep by the sound of his heartbeat. It took a while for me to form the words, and even longer to force them out. In the silence of the room locked in Dimitri's embrace, I had the courage to say them.

"Dimitri," I whispered, "I don't want to die."

I felt him still under me, he didn't even breathe for a moment, and then he pulled me closer and curled his body around me protectively. "I won't let you," he promised, the weight of it settling between us.

It was an impossibility. A promise that he wouldn't be able to keep, but at that moment I revelled in the fierceness of his voice and the determination I could practically feel rolling off him. I almost believed him.

Dimitri spent the night, his long limbs wrapped around me in the small bed. Neither of us could move much but we didn't mind, just needed to be close. I didn't dream of that man again, something I still had to mention to my parents. Yeva said that my dreams meant a connection was formed and I needed to know what that meant.

Yet, as I laid against Dimitri, watching the faint stream of sunlight move across his face as the sun rose, I let all thoughts of the prophecy and the Ancient leave my head. His face was completely relaxed, lips parted as he breathed; he looked so much younger in his sleep. Dimitri always held himself to such a high standard that I forget he wasn't much older than twenty-five.

It was only in moments like this that his guard was down completely.

His eyelids started to flutter, a soft groan fell from his lips and he pulled me closer with his arm around my waist. "Stop watching me sleep," he murmured softly, his warm breath hitting my hair.

I snorted, "You're snoring woke me up."

"I don't snore."

"How would you know?" I counted playfully, "You're sleeping."

His hands started to rub my back and my arm, slowly working one under my shirt and using the other to hitch my leg around his hips. There was no space between us and my body shivered from his touch. "You should try to sleep some more," he encouraged.

My face was buried beside his neck, the bare skin too tantalising to not trail a line of kisses down it. "I don't think I can. My mind won't stop."

Dimitri angled his head, shifting until his lips met mine, the kiss slow and sensual. It was the perfect morning kiss, and just what I needed to make all the thoughts in my head stop. As much as I wanted to do more, I didn't think either one of us wanted to have sex in Lissa's spare bed, but just making out was working for me.

We rolled until I was on top, my hands buried in his hair, and his trailing further up under my shirt. His skin was warm against mine, turning me on even though I knew it wasn't leading anywhere.

"You should sleep more," he told me again between kisses.

"This is more fun," I teased as I nipped at his lip, sucking it between my teeth before releasing it. The kiss lasted another minute or so before we broke apart and returned to just laying close. "Everything is different now," I sighed, snuggling closer and tucking my feet under his legs.

"A little," Dimitri agreed, "but things don't have to change. You are still in charge of your life, Roza. You still have a lot of people that care for you. I don't know what we are going to do, but we'll figure something out."

I released a long breath, melting against him, letting his words soothe my worries. "We'll deal with it together, right?"

I felt the smile on his lips when he kissed my forehead. "Of course, Roza."

I'm pretty sure in every story I've written, and in multiple chapters, I have Dimitri say "Of course, Roza." and I accept this.
It's like Princess Bride and "As you wish."

Such sweet Romitri moments... sure would be a shame if something happened to them... in a couple of chapters...maybe...I don't know...