"You didn't tell me that Dimitri works for you," Rose said from the sofa as soon as her father entered the living room the following afternoon. She was flipping through channels on the television. Jill was sitting on the other side of the couch, busy on her laptop.

"The subject never came up," Abe replied, utterly nonchalant, as he took a seat on a chair next to Rose.

She rolled her eyes, and saw Jill biting back whatever comment she wanted to make. "Since it was a subject that I would never think of asking about, of course it didn't come up. We talked yesterday, and his family should be coming over for dinner tonight."

He smiled, fangs showing. "If that's what you want."

She nearly laughed, having no idea what she wanted. Her mind was still spinning from everything she had talked about with Dimitri, constantly going back to the fact that he loved her but wanted to ignore that so they could at least be friends. "It is what I want. I want to see his family again. Besides which, Jill and I are in desperate need of outside contact. Even her feeder has run out of stories to tell us."

"It will be a pleasure to host them," he said. "Lena will be sure to make a good meal for the Belikovs. How did you find out about Belikov?" Their cook, Lena, always made excellent meals for everyone in the household.

"I visited Mark and Oksana, and he showed up. We're friends again, which is nice." Abe smiled. So did Jill. "What exactly does he do for you?"

"He has discussions with individuals I need him to see."

"Abe…"

"Don't worry. He hasn't done anything you wouldn't do."

Rose looked at him skeptically. "Sure."

Jill laughed. "Rose, you broke into a prison to free a man you hate because you were chasing a fairytale. There's not much you wouldn't do given the right circumstances."

"I'm a bad influence on you," Rose muttered.

"No you aren't," Jill protested, though she was still grinning. "You make me do my homework, and you help me train."

"I guess you're right. Just don't pick up my lack of respect for authority."

"I doubt she'll do that," joked Abe. "She was raised responsibly."

Rose scowled at him. "I was raised by a school."

"Rose, I think if he had raised you, you would already know his illegal businesses and be running a few of your own."

Rose and Abe both smiled at her. Abe actually seemed proud. At times, Rose could see him watching Jill with a soft, paternal affection. Sometimes Rose was jealous of his affection, but most of the time she found it endearing.

Jill's amusement evaporated into sadness. "When can I see my parents?"

Abe gave Jill that affectionate look now, mixed with regret. "I'm working on it. I promise."

Rose slid over to Jill, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Why don't you call them today?"

"I did yesterday."

Rose frowned. "Sorry, I forgot." Abe didn't like them making calls on a regular basis, two days in a row wouldn't be allowed.

"It's fine. I'm going to go do some of my school work." Jill briefly hugged Rose before she stood and wandered away.

Rose looked at Abe. "Please find a way soon. She needs them, and they need her."

Now he looked at her with affection and a bit of amusement. "You think I don't know that? I promise you, I will find a way soon." He stood. "Did you tell Lena about the Belikovs?"

"Yep, first thing."

"Good. I have some business to attend. I'll see you later."

She nodded just before he turned to leave. Without much to do, Rose decided to play a video game. When she and Lissa had lived in the human world, she had played video games a few times with housemates but never regularly. With little to do as they lived in hiding, Rose had taken to playing games to pass time when she had nothing else to do. She thought video games were fun, though she preferred physical action over sitting on a couch causing virtual mayhem.

The Belikovs arrived in the mid-afternoon in two cars which Abe had sent to retrieve them. Rose met them in the driveway, a broad smile on her face. Olena, Sonja, and Karolina hugged Rose tightly, thanking Rose for Dimitri's life. They introduced her to baby Katya and had her hold Zoya. Rose and Yeva greeted one another with small, knowing smiles. The old woman may have been a pain in the butt, but Rose respected her.

"Where are Viktoria and Paul?"

"At school," Dimitri answered, taking Zoya from her.

Rose frowned. "Hopefully we stay long enough to see them. Come in."

They did, chattering in a combination of Russian and English. Rose was surprised at how much she understood, but she didn't let on that she understood Russian. She didn't want to, not yet. She felt a little smug, a bit like Yeva when they had first met.

She showed them around, introducing them to Abe, Jill, and her father's staff. They set up a play area for Zoya and Katya in one of the lounges on the ground floor. The Belikovs were all polite, though Rose could see that they felt out of place, other than Yeva and Dimitri. Attending school with elite Moroi was one thing. Entering the home of a rich Moroi with a sinister reputation was quite another matter. Still, Rose, Jill, and Abe did their best to make the Belikovs feel at home.

Jill was ecstatic to have new people to talk with, and she loved helping Karolina and Sonja with their babies. Rose was glad to see Jill happy, genuinely happy. As much as she tried to be positive, there were many days when Jill's loneliness was palpable.

After catching up for an hour, they ate together. As they ate, they traded stories about the people they knew and places they had seen. After the meal, they rested a bit, enjoying the conversation.

Eventually, Rose and Jill offered to show everyone their sparring. They gathered in the gym. Jill and Rose stood in the center while everyone else stood or sat along the edge of the room.

Rose looked at her, grinning. "Give me everything you've got."

So, she did. When they had started training, Rose had gone easy on Jill. Rose had been trained to fight since she was a child, while Jill was new to fighting. Still, Jill was determined to learn. The first time Jill managed to knock Rose down was the day Rose stopped underestimating her. When Jill had started fighting with magic, Rose lost several of their matches. "Everything you've got" meant using magic.

Jill didn't go straight to her magic. They started with the basics. Kicks and punches, dodging and feinting were how they started their fights. They fought like that for a while, going relatively easy on one another. They knew each other's moves, and Rose saw the moment when Jill decided to use magic.

Her pale green eyes lit up with mischief. Her right hand straightened from a fist. Rose didn't know where Jill was going to get water from until just before the younger girl kicked over the cooler which stood against one wall.

Everyone in the room gasped as Jill formed the water into a thin whip. She swung the water at Rose, who managed to duck and roll beneath it. Rose used her rolling momentum to knock Jill off her feet. Jill fought back by flinging water at Rose's face.

Anticipating Jill's defensive move, Rose closed her eyes and mouth, though some water made it into her mouth and nose. Still, the distraction gave Jill enough time to roll away. Coughing, Rose stood, ready to face Jill, but the other girl had transformed the room into a fog bank.

This wasn't good. Fog was Jill's greatest asset. As a Moroi, she had sharper hearing and vision than Rose. Jill had also won several matches against Rose by creating fog. Rose crouched low to the ground, waiting for Jill to make a move. She forced herself to draw long, slow breaths, hoping that she couldn't be heard. Hopefully the murmurs of their viewers masked whatever sounds she was making.

Squish. Rose heard Jill's shoes squeak against the wet floor padding. Jill must have noticed it as well because she stopped moving instantly. They were at a standstill unless one of them made a move.

Having fought in several battles against Strigoi, Rose knew how to balance the urge to fight versus the need to remain hidden. Jill was young, inexperienced, and wanted to prove herself. Rose idly wondered if Dimitri would be more impressed if she won or if Jill won.

The fog drew together, becoming a dense cloud. Suddenly, Rose was drenched and chilled. If Jill kept this up long enough, Rose might suffocate. She might need to instruct her charge on safety again.

With no other choice, Rose charged toward where she suspected Jill was standing. She was correct about where Jill was, but the other girl darted away at the last second. Still, Rose managed to clip Jill's hip with her fist, causing her to yelp in pain.

Jill dropped the water, allowing it to pool on the floor once again. She ran toward Rose, landing a kick on her thigh. Rose grunted from the impact, but managed to stand her ground. She could see the exhaustion in Jill's face and movements. Rose was also tired, but she had far more endurance than the Moroi girl.

Rose kept a defensive pose, waiting for Jill to make a misstep. Her mistake was returning to the magic. Already weak from using so much magic, Jill needed to force a lot of concentration into the move she was trying to make. It was another whip, but Rose used her higher stamina to run behind Jill and throw her to the ground. The water fell, along with Jill.

Using her weight, Rose pinned Jill beneath her. Rose was able to secure Jill's hands behind her back. Rose then pressed her weight onto the younger girl so that Jill was immobile. "Do you yield?"

"If I have to," she grunted unhappily.

Rose chuckled, still keeping Jill pinned for the moment. "In a real combat situation, if you are held like this, be sure to try head butting your captor. If you can break their nose, you might be able to escape." She let go and rolled onto the ground.

Their watchers began clapping and cheering. Rose looked over. Olena, Sonja, and Karolina were clapping excitedly. Several of Abe's guards were amused, having seen similar bouts between Rose and Jill. Yeva had a small smile on her lips which might just have been pride. Abe did look proud, though Rose suspected that in a minute he would ask for the water to be cleaned up. And Dimitri, well Dimitri seemed both awed and proud.

Rose sat up, helping Jill sit beside her. Jill looked both pleased and exhausted. "You need to be careful with how much magic you use," Rose scolded. "And be careful about your cloud density!"

Jill smiled sheepishly. "I figured that it would get you out of there."

She laughed, along with several of their viewers. "I'm such a bad influence on you."

"Yes, you are," Jill agreed with a yawn. "I think I need to see the feeder, I'm wiped." She looked around the room, seeing the water everywhere. She stood, walked to the water cooler, turned it up, and filled it with the water which lay everywhere in the room. When she was finished, the room was relatively dry, though she and Rose were still rather wet.

"Why don't you both get changed?" suggested Abe.

Jill looked down at her clothes and laughed. "Good idea. Um... I hope you all enjoyed watching."

Their watchers replied with encouragement and light laughter. Excusing themselves, Rose and Jill peeled off their protective gear, grabbed towels from a nearby rack, and headed to the elevator. Ten minutes later, dressed in dry clothing, and with her wet hair pulled up, Rose rejoined everyone in the ground floor sitting room.

"That was amazing," Karolina exclaimed as she entered.

"I hope neither of you are hurt," Olena said, her tone very motherly.

Rose grinned. "Thank you. I'm fine, Olena. Jill is getting blood to refresh herself. She'll join us soon." She sank onto one of the large leather chairs, close to her father and Dimitri.

Sonja looked up from her daughter. "Are all Moroi going to be trained to fight?"

"Not yet, but Lissa and the Queen are working on passing laws which will teach Moroi defense. They're also working on supporting Moroi using magic against Strigoi. Not that anyone should doubt the power of Moroi in battle, fire has been used three times already, and everyone knows how much it helped."

"Three times?" The question came from Sonja.

"Yeah," Rose replied. "Christian Ozera and I fought in the St. Vladimir's attack together. He and I had more kills than anyone else. Afterward, fire using Moroi teachers joined us in the cavern rescue." She stopped, looking at her lap. Talking or thinking about that day always hurt. Dimitri being in the room made it worse.

"When was the third time?" asked Karolina.

Rose stiffened. She looked at Dimitri and saw that he had tensed as well. Dimitri was the one to answer. "Moroi fought when I was restored. Without fire magic, that fight might have ended very differently."

Rose swallowed hard. She studied Dimitri, wishing that she could comfort him. He no longer had the despair which had shrouded him after his restoration, but she knew it wasn't easy for him to talk about his time as a Strigoi.

"Yeah," Rose said. "Which is why we need to use magic to fight back. Jill is proof of how good a fighter Moroi can be."

The shift in conversation lightened the mood of the room. Jill had slipped in and was seated between Dimitri's sisters. She smiled shyly as everyone seemed to look at her.

"You did a very impressive job, Jill," Dimitri said.

"Thank you. I still feel like I have a lot to learn, but with so much time on our hands, practicing has become a daily routine. Rose is a great teacher, and I talk to Christian and Mia about ways to fight with magic. Mia is a friend from school, and she uses water as well, so we share ideas. Christian thinks that fire and water together could be a huge threat because we could boil the water. Mia also suggested ways of making ice." Jill's words had started slowly but ended in her swift, excited ramble.

"Jill is quite the prodigy," said Abe. He wore his proud fatherly expression, which sparked a twinge of jealousy in Rose. The emotion faded when he turned to her with the same look in his eyes. "And Rose is quite the teacher."

She looked from her father to Dimitri. "Only because I had a good teacher."

Dimitri shook his head. "I never trained in elemental combat. What the two of you did was incredible."

"What can I say, I fight well with Moroi? Don't forget comrade, you owe me a chance to spar."

He seemed amused. "Do you still have the energy to fight more?"

"Always," she replied with a snort.

Karolina yawned tiredly. "As interesting as it would be to watch the two of you fight, Sonja and I need to work in the morning."

Sonja, seeing the time on the wall clock, stood. "She's right, sadly. We should be heading home."

Olena looked from her daughters to Dimitri and Rose. "Dimka, you could stay while the rest of us go home."

Rose noticed Jill, Karolina, and Sonja hiding smiles as they gathered Zoya and Katya's things. Dimitri stood, looking between his family and Rose. He seemed at a loss as to whether he should stay or go.

"Stop being afraid. I didn't raise you to be a coward." Yeva scolded Dimitri in Russian.

Before Dimitri could reply, Rose stood in his defense. She replied in Russian, stumbling on the words, but was fairly certain that she got the point across. "He isn't a coward. He's protecting me."

Dimitri and his family stared at her, stunned. She gave a small, sheepish smile, before continuing in English. "I'm studying Russian."

Dimitri tensed, locking his eyes with hers. "I think that Rose and I need to talk," he eventually said. He looked back at his family. "I'll be home later."

"My drivers can take your family home," said Abe.

At Abe's words, three of his guards helped the Belikov women pack and carry their belongings. They also took leftovers from their meal out to the cars. Olena, Karolina, and Sonja thanked Rose and Abe profusely for their hospitality and invited them for dinner. They also invited Jill and Rose to come over whenever they wanted.

Yeva also thanked them for dinner, but to Rose she added more. "Stop being afraid."

Rose bit her tongue. They were standing away from the others, so only she heard the old woman's words. She wanted to lash out. She wanted to say that she wasn't afraid, but the idea of Dimitri hurting her again was scarier than having faced him as a Strigoi. "What if he hurts me again?"

Yeva softened. "He will, and you will hurt him as well. We hurt people we love, sometimes intentionally and sometimes accidentally. If two people love one another enough, and want to fight for each other, they can work through the hurt." Rose blinked back tears. Yeva reached out and patted her cheek. "моя внучка."

Rose shook her head and pulled up as much bravado as she could muster. "Maybe one day." She looked over to where Dimitri stood, helping pack the baby things into the cars. "We have a lot to work through before I can be called your granddaughter."

Yeva smirked before she turned and walked to the cars.