Rose slowly paced the large library, her eyes studying the spines of the volumes on the shelves. Dimitri was standing along the opposite wall, watching her. She had decided on the library for them to talk. For some reason, possibly because the floor was unoccupied at the moment, she thought of it as a good place to be alone with him.

"What did my grandmother tell you before she left?"

She stopped, turning to him. "She gave me some good advice."

He raised a brow. "What advice was that?"

She gave him a wry smile. "She told me to stop being afraid. Apparently she thinks we're both cowards."

He leaned against the shelves, his back pressing the books closer to the wall. "Maybe we are in some ways." Silence fell between them, thick and strained. "Your Russian is good."

She felt her lips twitch into a thin smile. "Thanks."

"You understood what I said last night, didn't you?"

"Yes." Rueful amusement played on her face. "So much for not rushing into anything."

"I don't feel like I have any right to be in your life. I don't want to push you toward anything that you don't want."

She couldn't help it, she began laughing, though there was no mirth in it. "I wanted you for so long Dimitri. I wanted us to be in love without any complications. I was so, so happy before the caves. I spent the months afterward just existing. First I sought a way to kill you, then to save you. It was all consuming. I dated Adrian, but my heart wasn't in it. Every waking thought was about you. Then you crushed me. I welcomed being away with Jill. I was away from the pain, the heartache."

She had been focusing on the books, but now her gaze locked onto him. "I still love you." Her voice cracked with emotion. "I never stopped. I pushed it away, burying my feelings. Being far from you helped me forget, but the second we came here... I don't know what I want or what you want. I don't know if we can just pick up again..."

He crossed the room to her. He cupped her face with one hand and rested the other on her shoulder. "Roza."

She relaxed at his touch, closing her eyes and sighing. Some part of her wanted to be angry, wanted to run. Then there was the part of her that loved him, loved him so, so much. His touch was like coming home. "This isn't fair," she murmured. She put her hands on his as he made to pull away. Tension left him at her touch.

She looked at him. They were so close. Her eyes kept falling from his eyes to his lips. "What do you want?" She whispered the words, needing to know his answer.

"A second chance." His words were so quiet, so full of emotion. "I love you Rose. I always have. I always will."

Her eyes blurred. Hot tears dripped down her cheeks. She pressed her lips to his, needing to feel his kiss. She shuddered against him. His hand moved from her cheek to her hair, tangling in her still damp locks. She wrapped her arms around his neck, needing his warmth and closeness. His hand wrapped around her waist, drawing her against him.

They kissed for an eternity, lost in one another's arms.

Home. This was what home felt like.

When their kiss ended, he kissed her forehead. Then he looked into her eyes. "I forgot."

She was puzzled. "Forgot what?"

The smile he gave her was filled with so much love that it overwhelmed her. "I forgot how much peace and happiness you bring me."

She laughed, happy tears brimming in her eyes. She clung to him, breathing in his scent. Pushing back a little, she sighed. "We still have a lot to talk about."

"We do," he agreed, but he didn't pull away.

"But I don't want to talk right now." Her hands trailed down his chest.

He raised an eyebrow. "Roza..." His voice was thick.

She pressed her lips to his, soft and brief. "Do you want to be with me? In a relationship with me?"

"Yes."

"Then be with me, and we'll figure out the details later."

She saw the decision in his eyes a moment before his lips met hers. The kiss was hard and urgent, a release of every pent up emotion between them. His fingers slid under her shirt, pressing against the small of her back. She arched closer to him, her hips grinding against his, needing him. He trailed kisses down her neck, eliciting a moan from her. She opened her eyes and froze.

He pulled back, confused. "What's wrong?"

"Cameras," she muttered, staring accusingly at the security cameras which were along the perimeter of the room.

He followed her gaze and nodded. Wordless, he laced his fingers with hers and pulled her from the room. They walked down the hall and entered her bedroom. As soon as the door closed, Dimitri's lips were on hers again.

She wasted no time pulling at his shirt and pushing it up. He pulled away for a moment to peel off his shirt. That was when she saw his scars. She ran her fingers along the thick, jagged marks which were scattered along his torso.

"When did this happen?"

"It's a long story."

She looked up at him, curious. His face was somber. "Does that mean you won't tell me?"

He gave a short laugh. "I can, but I thought you didn't want to talk right now?"

She wavered. She wanted him badly, but she was also very curious about the scars. He hadn't had the scars before being turned. His injuries as a Strigoi would have healed, which meant that the scars had been made after his restoration. He ran his fingers along her arms, the barest hint of connection. She shivered. Looking up into his warm brown eyes, she decided.

"Later," she breathed, bringing her lips up to his.

He didn't hesitate, pulling her close, one hand on her neck and the other on her waist. He began to pull at the edges of her shirt, pushing up the fabric. She stepped back so that he could pull her shirt over her head. Her skin now exposed, his lips trailed down her neck. He placed soft kisses along her collarbone and made his way to her bra. He unclasped the offending article of clothing, and she let it slide off her shoulders as he kissed her breasts.

She moaned at his attentions, rolling her head back in ecstasy while she ran her hands through his hair. He pulled away again, pressing his lips to hers. They moved toward the bed, tugging at their own pants while kissing one another. By the time they tumbled onto the bed, they were naked.

Any worries that may have been in their minds were quickly pushed aside by desire. He knelt between her legs, pausing for a moment as he looked down at her. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Impatient, she reached for him, drawing him close, and kissing him.

His hand moved between them, positioning himself at her entrance and pressing into her. She gasped at the sensation, arching up against him as he filled her. It had been far too long since they were together. He looked into her eyes, full of lust and desire. This was what they had wanted, needed, for so long. He moved in her, slowly finding a rhythm. Soon they were moving together, becoming one.

When they finished, boneless from their lovemaking, they curled together on the bed.

"It's funny," she said, "it feels like no time has passed between us. We've lived apart for over a year, but I feel like nothing has changed. I still love you, as much as that day in the cabin."

He kissed her shoulder while one hand traced the curve of her hip. "I feel the same way. Being with you again feels like coming home."

She turned, laying on her back so that she could look up into his eyes. She ran one hand along his cheek. "I love you," she said in Russian.

"I love you too," he replied in Russian, smiling.

"Do I speak Russian well?"

"Yes."

She gave him a soft, quick kiss, loving the sensation of his lips against hers. When she spoke again, it was in English. "I'm still learning."

He also returned to speaking English. "You're a quick study when you set your mind to a task."

"Languages aren't easy to learn. I need to learn an entirely new alphabet which I don't even understand. It's easier to pick up words and phrases when talking. My dad decided that I should learn Russian since so many Moroi and dhampirs are Russian or speak the language."

One of his hands traced gentle circles on her stomach. "A wise decision."

"What do you do for my father? What do you really do? I asked him and all he said was that it wasn't anything I wouldn't do, but he was evasive." She touched his scars. "And these..."

He shifted from lounging to sitting, so she did the same. "It really is something you would do," he said with some amusement. "However, I haven't been entirely honest. If I tell you what I've been doing, you can't tell anyone."

"Of course."

He let out a heavy breath. "I work for the Queen and the Guardian Council, under a special task force which is overseen by your father."

She blinked in astonishment. "You what?"

"They sent me here to recover, and that is what I did for the first month after I returned to Baia. Then I was recalled to Court for a private meeting with the Queen. No one knew that I was at Court. They gave me an assignment which only I could accomplish. With Abe's assistance, I have been leading groups of dhampirs and fighting Moroi on offensive missions against the Strigoi."

"That... Tatiana and the guardians sanctioned a taskforce to fight the Strigoi?"

He nodded solemnly. "It was your suggestion at my... testing. They realized my knowledge was too important to waste. They also knew that there would be too much controversy if anyone knew, so everything has been kept top secret. I've spent a lot of downtime here in Baia, but I have also led multiple strikes against my former network. All of the assets which had been mine as a Strigoi have been seized and incorporated into your father's business endeavors."

"That's where the scars came from?"

He nodded. "Oksana has helped me heal after a few battles, but she only heals the worst injuries. The scars aren't important. She has also made healing charms for my teams. Mark has gone on several raids with me, as have your unpromised friends."

"Denis, Tamara, and the others?"

"Yes, and they are doing well. All of my groups have been made of unpromised or exiled dhampirs and Moroi who have been fighting under the radar. Your father has many connections to exiles from our society, and he helped form the teams. I spent months training them, but they are effective fighters. The old Strigoi network has fallen apart from what we can tell."

"That's... that's amazing. Are you ok? It can't be easy to face your past like that."

"It was difficult at first. Part of me wanted to kill every Strigoi I saw as a form of penance. I was very close to becoming a person who lives to kill. I would have been no better than a Strigoi."

She shivered. "So, what stopped that from happening?"

"My family, Mark, Oksana, messages from Lissa, and memories of you. Part of me still wanted to be a man who you would love and admire."

She smiled, wrapping her arms around him, and kissing him. "I am so glad to have you back."

"I'm glad to be back Roza."

"Do you have more Strigoi to hunt?"

"Not at the moment, but I dispatch teams when we know about Strigoi activity. The Queen and Guardian Council obviously can't tell anyone what we are doing, but they are the ones who give us directives."

She shook her head. "That's so crazy. They wouldn't let you back in as a guardian, but they are using you on the outside."

Being on the outside has many advantages. I'm able to see my family, and I'm actively fighting the Strigoi. I'm able to live my own life for the first time."

She bit her lip, looking away.

"What's wrong?"

"What happens when Jill and I leave?"

He cupped her chin and gently turned her face so that they were eye to eye again. "If you want me to come with you, I will be with you."

Trembling, she blinked back her tears and kissed him. "Stay with me. I never want you to leave me again."

"I will never leave you again."

He kissed her, drawing her close. Their kissing soon intensified, and it wasn't long before they lost themselves in the bliss of physical union again. Afterward, they cuddled and talked for hours. They talked through many issues which had hung over their heads for a year. When they were both half asleep, Dimitri reluctantly mentioned that he should probably not stay in her room overnight.

"Your father may very well find out tomorrow that we were in here all night and assume what happened, but I would rather delay it for a little while if we can."

"Fine," she muttered sleepily. "You're staying in here overnight right? Yes, I will go down to one of the spare rooms if you agree. It is rather late for me to walk home."

"Of course," she agreed. "Take the first one you find on the next floor."

He pressed a soft kiss to her lips before getting out of the bed.

She watched him dress through sleepy eyes. "Do you really think my father will believe we were just talking?"

"No," he laughed as he pulled on his jeans. "Not for an instant."

"Mm."

Dressed, he walked back to the bed and pressed a gentle kiss to Rose's lips.

She ran her hand through his hair. "I wish you could stay with me tonight."

"Very soon we will be together every night."

She smiled. "I'll hold you to that."