In case you missed it, I changed the ending of the previous chapter. So if you haven't read that, I suggest you do :)

I slumped against the wall, knees pulled up, and my forehead against them. There were still pieces of glass in my shins, blood staining my jeans. But that could be Alberta's blood.

It was everywhere. My hands and arms. My face.

There was too much of it.

They wouldn't let me in the room; Olena and some others were in there with Alberta. I didn't know if anyone was a doctor or if they could help her. I felt like I couldn't breathe; too much was still unknown.

I didn't know if Alberta would survive.

I didn't know.

Janine was right—help was close. Within minutes a dozen guardians and Moroi surrounded the crash—three cars in total. The Strigoi hit our car first and clipped the front of Janine's, making them crash as well.

People tried to get me to leave Alberta's side, but I couldn't bring myself to do it; barely even allowing someone to determine I wasn't in any danger of dying from my injuries. I remembered Abe's face when we arrived—a look of horror.

I wasn't sure if what I felt was fear.

I think I was numb.

With shaky hands, I retrieved my phone from my back pocket. The blood on my hands was dry, though it still smudged the screen as I searched my contacts. I considered calling, but I didn't think my voice would work; as soon as my mouth opened, I would just cry. I typed a message and sent it.

A sob tore from my throat when I got the reply.

I was on the edge of breaking.

I needed her to be okay.

"Rose."

My head snapped to the side, and I saw a flash of red before I was engulfed. Arms wrapped around me tightly, and I was pulled close to another. It was the smell of her perfume that made me realise who it was.

"Mom?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

She pulled back; her hands cupped my cheeks, and her eyes searched my face. "You shouldn't be sitting on the ground. Has anyone looked you over?" Her fingers ghosted over my face, eyes wide as they took in the blood.

"I can't leave her," I replied, "it's Alberta–" I inhaled sharply, biting my lip when it wobbled.

I was pulled back into her embrace; rocked gently as she whispered, "I know. I know."

Being in my mother's arms felt strange. It was something I thought I didn't need, something I had accepted I wouldn't have again. But as she rocked me and held me tight, I realised just how much I missed it. My arms came up, and my fingers curled in the back of her shirt, clinging to her. Tears fell slowly at first, and then I was sobbing.

"Oh, Rose, I'm so sorry."

I hiccupped, burying my head against her chest, "I don't know if she'll be okay, Mom. What if she isn't okay?"

Her hand brushed down the length of my hair, making soothing sounds. "They are doing everything they can," she promised, repeating it.

"We should get her cleaned up," Abe spoke in a hushed tone; my mother nodded in response. I didn't even realise he was there.

When she stood, I broke from her hold. "I'm not leaving her," I repeated, voice shaking just as my hands did.

Another person crouched beside me. Dimitri brushed my hair from my face, "If there's any change, they tell us, Roza. But you can't stay out here."

I looked at Dimitri with tears in my eyes. "What if she dies? It'll be my fault. All of it's my fault."

"It's not your fault," he declared, "I promise you." His hands went under my legs and around my shoulders; I leaned into him as he lifted me off the floor. I bit my lip and hid my face in his shoulder to hide the flash of pain. While I wouldn't die from my injuries, I was still hurt.

Janine said they would want to silence Sonya for what she knew, and they tried. I shouldn't be surprised that we were attacked, but I never thought it would actually happen. I wondered if the Strigoi planned for me to be there or if it was a coincidence. They were lucky and knocked both cars out—it almost gave them the chance to take me.

I didn't ask about the others in Janine's car. I didn't think I could take any more guilt if someone else was badly hurt. It's because of me in the end. We captured Sonya because I wanted answers and restored her, and they tried to stop us because they needed me to fall into their hands.

If Dimitri hadn't woken when he did, they would have me. They were so close.

Dimitri didn't take me to Lissa's or my parent's apartment; instead, he took me to his.

Other than Viktoria's room, I never saw any of the other bedrooms in their apartment. I was used to the two-bedroom apartments, but theirs had five. Remodelled to fit the bigger families.

Dimitri's bedroom was about the size of mine, but it had an ensuite. He carried me in and set me down on the closed lid of the toilet. His hands caressed my face, wiping the tears from my cheeks. When he stood and stepped back into his room, I realised my parents didn't follow him. I couldn't hear them and wondered where they went.

"Here, you can change into these," Dimitri stated, a bundle of clothes in his hands when he returned. His duster was gone, and his hair was tied back. Muscular arms were on display with just the singlet he wore with his dark jeans.

He didn't give me the clothes after I held my hands out and saw how bloody they were. A frown pulled at his lips.

I drew back, tucking my hands under my armpits as if ashamed. I glanced down at his shirt I wore and grimaced, "I'm sorry about your shirt."

"It's okay, Roza," Dimitri soothed me. He placed the clothes next to the sink, retrieved a first aid kit and kneeled at my feet.

"You just have one of those hiding everywhere?"

Dimitri smirked. "It's common for guardians to get hurt. It's easier to fix ourselves up rather than going to the med bay when it isn't dire."

"Right. Occupational hazard." I looked at my legs, covered in blood, with little tears in my jeans. Just another piece of clothing ruined.

Dimitri lifted one of my legs; he picked out the stray pieces of glass from the ripped fabric and repeated the same to the other. He had a butterfly stitch on the side of his face, brown hair falling forward to cover it as he worked. He was fortunate, and the worst injury was hitting his head. It could have been so much worse.

Dimitri made a small noise, grimacing at my legs; eyes meeting mine. "Did you want to shower?"

I considered the amount of blood I had on me and nodded. I began to unbutton my shirt as Dimitri removed my shoes and socks. My eyes felt heavy from exhaustion; the events from the day weighed me down. I kept wondering about Alberta, worried that something happened. I wouldn't know because I wasn't there.

I paused on the last button, considering doing them back up and returning downstairs.

Anything could go wrong.

Alberta was in the middle seat; she was thrown around and hit her head hard enough that she hadn't woken. The guardians that brought her back to the compound were pale and barely had any hope in their eyes.

There was too much blood.

"Rose?" Dimitri's face was close to mine, eyes pinched in panic; he must have been calling my name for a while. His palms angled my head so I looked at him. Relief washed over his face when I reacted, as did understanding. "Let's get you cleaned up, and then we can go back downstairs."

I nodded; my lip trembled again, but I held back the tears. I kept breaking, and I wanted to be strong— I needed to be. Dimitri helped me stand and get out of my jeans; it was easier to shower and wash off the blood before treating the cuts. Most of it was superficial; the worst was probably the cut on the back of my head.

The water felt good, overdue after the past two days. I had bruises from the fights and some wounds I hadn't noticed. There were punctures on my shoulder from the Striogi's nails and deep scratches from the broken window. When Dimitri noticed them, he frowned and apologised for not stopping them sooner; lips brushing over the new injuries.

Dimitri stood behind me in the shower, there to take my weight if needed, and helped wash my hair and legs. The water was tinged red as it washed down the drain—I hadn't realised how much blood there was on my body until I had to scrub it all off.

After I was cleaned and dried, I returned to the toilet seat, dressed in the boxes and shirt Dimitri had given me. They smelt like him and felt soft.

Dimitri knelt in front of me again and looked over my legs, slowly working his way up to the wounds on my arm, back, and head. He dried the ends of my hair with the towel, gently prodding the cut on my scalp with his fingers. "It's not bleeding anymore, but it will hurt for a day or two. I think you should get it checked just in case."

"It's not that bad," I shrugged. The pain had faded, but that could be because I still felt numb.

"You probably have a concussion," he replied, kissing the crown of my head. "We heal quickly, but head wounds are still dangerous."

I watched as he tidied up and glanced down at myself. As comfortable as Dimitri's clothes were, I couldn't just walk around in his underwear. "I need pants," I voiced, making him pause.

"Did you want to try to sleep first? Maybe eat something."

An argument was on the tip of my tongue, but then I saw his expression; he was worried about me. "Okay, I'll eat." It was a middle ground, but it still made him smile.

"I'll make you something. Did you want to eat here or at the table?"

I smiled. "You cook?"

A half smile appeared on his face, holding a hand out to me. "I know my way around the kitchen. My mother made sure we all could."

When I stepped close to him, his arms moved around me; eyes boring down at me with a flicker of an emotion that made my breath catch. Dimitri drew me close, bowing his head to be beside mine.

I felt his breath against my cheek, it was shaky. "I'm glad you're okay," he whispered.

I returned the embrace, pressing so close to him that there was no space between us. The Strigoi could have succeeded in grabbing me. The crash could have been so much worse for all of us.

I suddenly laughed and surprised him.

Dimitri drew back and looked at me with an eyebrow raised. I flushed, "Sorry. It's just that the Strigoi are doing a terrible job if they are trying to bring me in alive." It wasn't funny—not really—but I couldn't help but laugh at it.

He sighed and gave me a look of exasperation, a hint of humour. His fingers slid down my arm until they intertwined with mine, tugging gently on my hand to make me follow him out of the bathroom.

I briefly glanced around his room, a hint of a smile breaking on my face. It looked exactly how I imagined it. Shelves full of books and even a John Wayne poster on the wall; it was tidy and everything had a place. My eyes drifted to his bed, and the thought of how comfortable it looked crossed my mind.

Maybe I could be convinced to sleep…

No one else was in the apartment, which surprised me. I knew Karolina had a place of her own, and Sonya was arranging for one due to falling pregnant, but she still lived there with the three other Belikova women. I couldn't imagine where else they would be.

Dimitri squeezed my fingers and then pulled out a seat for me; I dropped into the offered chair that looked towards the kitchen. He must have chosen that chair on purpose so I could watch him—a distraction from staring at the door and waiting for news.

I openly stared at him, willed my thoughts to quiet, and just focused on him. I became captivated by how he moved, his muscles flexing, and listening to his soft humming as he cooked. Not long after sitting me down, Dimitri returned to the table with a plate and placed it in front of me.

"Something tells me you would like this," he explained with a half smile and kind eyes.

I looked from him to the grilled cheese on the plate. My stomach grumbled in agreement. "You know the way to my heart, comrade," I praised and picked up half of the sandwich. Of course, he had even gone so far as to cut it into triangles.

"The way to your heart is through your stomach," he deadpanned and sat down.

I paused, raising my eyebrows at him. "Aren't you eating?"

"I will after you do."

It was an incentive to make me eat, and I knew it. I shrugged and gave him what he wanted, and took a bite. My body suddenly became aware of how long it had been since I ate, and the more I ate, the more I noticed how thirsty I was—and how exhausted.

I had asked for a cup of water, and by the time I finished the last piece of the sandwich and my second cup of water, I was struggling to keep my eyes open. Dimitri had helped himself to some food and watched me with a grateful look.

"You can sleep," he told me, foot tapping mine under the table. "If there is any news, I'll wake you up."

"What about you?" I slurred slightly. "You have been awake as long as I have."

"Yes, but I haven't been injured as badly as you. You need your rest," he reasoned, and I nodded, or more my head drooped before I caught myself. Dimitri laughed softly and cleared the table before coming to my side and helping me back to my feet. "Come on, Roza."

I looked at the front door, coming to a halt. "What if there is no news?" I whisper. A feeling of dread moved through my veins like ice. "She's part of my family, and I only just got her back… I don't want to lose my family again, Dimitri."

His arm looped around my shoulders, pulling me close to his chest. He couldn't say anything—anything he said would just be false promises.

We made it three steps to the bedroom when the front door opened, and Olena emerged with a smile on her face. "Roza," she breathed.

I froze, trying to guess what Olena was about to say. She was smiling—that had to be good, right? She wouldn't be smiling if Alberta was dead… I really hoped not. My fingers curled around Dimitri's, probably painfully so, but he was my lifeline at the moment and the only thing keeping me on my feet.

Olena came closer, hands cupping my cheeks. "She's awake," she told me, her eyes red and watery. "Alberta's awake."

I'd never been one to hesitate, especially about something I wanted.

I wanted nothing more than to see Alberta alive, but I stood outside the med bay and couldn't bring myself to open the door. It was because I was afraid.

No. I was terrified.

I shouldn't be. Olena said Alberta was awake—she was going to be okay. Yet, there was a voice in my head whispering something could have gone wrong. What if it was all a dream? What if I was actually upstairs fast asleep in Dimitri's bed, and this was a cruel dream?

My hand was inches away from the door handle. It was like a barrier of my own making, making it impossible to touch.

I didn't want to break the illusion.

"You can go in."

The voice scared me, causing me to yelp. I spun on my heel to look at them. I think a big part of why they scared me was that the last time they spoke to me, they were yelling I would kill everyone.

Sonya backed up a step, wincing at my reaction. So many emotions filtered over her face before settling on guilt. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

"It's okay," I promised, swallowing thickly, "I'm just on edge."

She nodded. I watched her fingers as they twisted the fabric of her skirt, having changed since the crash. "You were brave. Quick-thinking. You distracted them from our car."

It took me a moment to catch on. "Oh. I was just…" I was just trying to keep Dimitri and Alberta safe.

"I healed her." Sonya surprised me again. She gave me a nervous smile, only for it to quickly drop. "She used to be my friend. I couldn't just stand there and do nothing."

I looked back at the door. "You healed…" My eyes locked on Sonya's. "She'll be okay?"

Again, she smiled, but it didn't fall. "Yes."

I should have said something more to Sonya, but my chest was about to burst from happiness, and I needed to see if it was true. I threw open the door and ran in. There was only one bed with the curtain drawn; no one else was there. With a shaky breath, I curled my fingers around the edge of the curtain and drew it back.

There, lying on the bed, was Alberta. I felt my heart stop—I couldn't tell if she was breathing or not.

And then her eyes cracked open enough to look at me. "I can feel you staring at me," she grumbled. I watched as she rubbed her forehead, scratching at the bandage wrapped around her head.

My lips parted, opening and closing as I tried to find my words.

She glanced at me again, tilting her head slightly. "I don't think I've ever seen you this quiet," she laughed softly, only to wince a moment later, "I shouldn't laugh."

"Fuck you, Alberta," I blurted, surprising us both.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," I replied. "You can't…You can't almost die like that!" I stomped my foot; my emotions mixed and became stronger. "You can't do that! Ever again!"

Her eyes widened. "It wasn't exactly my plan for the night."

"You can't…" My voice shook, and I felt the first tear fall. "You can't…"

Alberta's expression shifted, becoming softer. "Come here, Rose," she cooed and lifted an arm, offering me the side of her bed. I didn't hesitate, climbing onto the bed and settling against her side.

I wrapped my arms around her and relished how she felt alive. Before, she had been too still, but now I could feel her chest expand as she breathed and felt her heart beating strongly.

"I'm sorry I scared you," she apologised, kissing my forehead softly, a gesture she hadn't done since I was little. "I'm okay now."

"You promise?" I asked like a small child. I needed reassurance.

"I promise."

Enjoy!

Also, no idea at all when I'll be updating. I'm just rolling with it the motivation.