DIMITRI

Rose let out a long, drawn-out yawn, tucking herself a little tighter into my embrace as peach-scented water swirled around us in various shades of soft pink and gold. I couldn't help but chuckle. It's not like I could blame her for being tired. We had left the club around two in the morning, but that didn't mean our night had ended. I think we finally fell asleep around three or three-thirty, wrapped up in one another's arms while Rose's dress was left in tatters at the foot of our bed.

Now, less than six hours later, Rose and I were enjoying a rare lazy morning in the comfort of the giant soaking tub. She sat between my legs, eyes closed with her back to my chest, as my fingers danced across her skin. I drew meandering little circles over her stomach and thighs. Every once in a while, I'd dip between her thighs and gently caress between her sex. Soft little touches. Unhurried and unexpectant. I knew she was sore after last night. A heady mix of alcohol and lust had lowered our inhibitions, and I knew I had been a little rougher than usual. I don't think either of us regretted it. In fact, I was pretty sure the memory would stay with me for years to come, but Rose was the one left paying the price this morning. The least I could do was put aside my selfish wants and make her feel good.

You'd think I would've had my fill of her last night, but the opposite was true. Rose was like an addiction, and no matter how many times I touched her, kissed her, or made love to her, I'd always wanted more.

Pulling Rose's hair to one side, I pressed a kiss against her neck. "I love you," I murmured against her skin. Sometimes, I wondered if I'd ever wear those three words out. Would they ever grow to sound hollow? Would Rose ever wonder if they were just some mindless, expectant comment rather than the heartfelt declaration they truly were? My worries were set to rest when she hummed, looked over her shoulder, and met my eyes.

"I love you, too, Dimitri."

Never. Those words would never grow tired and old. They were a gift. Each and every single one was a gift and always would be.

I cupped her cheek and brought my lips to hers in a gentle kiss. It wasn't long before Rose twisted in my arms, splashing bath water onto the floor as she straddled my thighs and took control. With light tugs of my hair, she rocked against me in slow waves, each movement creating a small tide around us. I couldn't damper my low groan when she snaked her hand between us and wrapped her skilled fingers around me, slowly stroking me until I felt like I couldn't take it anymore.

I maneuvered her slightly, eager to feel her around me, but stopped when I felt her sharp hiss against my lips before I could press into her. Her body went ridged, completely tense, even as she tried to tell me that it was okay. That she could take it. That she wanted it.

I had no doubts that she was telling the truth when she said she wanted this moment between us. I wanted it, too. But I wasn't willing to take it when I knew it would only bring her more pain. Pulling back, I reluctantly guided her until she was between my legs again, her back against my chest with my arms holding her close. Even though she whined her protest, I could still feel her body relax with relief, which made it easier for me to ignore my aching erection between us.

"I could still–"

"Shh. I know you could, and I know I'd enjoy it immensely…" I pinched her side when she giggled, causing her to wiggle against me momentarily. I was barely able to hold back my pained groan before taking a breath and continuing. "...but I'd rather have this. I swear, I'd rather have this moment to hold you in my arms for a little longer before I have to share you again with the others."

And I really did mean that. I'd gotten myself off plenty of times with memories of her on her knees with her lips around my cock or on video calls as I watched her make herself cum with nothing but my voice in her ear and her fingers on her clit. Sure, they were poor shadows of physically making love to her, but those moments were still possible.

Holding her like this, however? Nothing could compare. These were the moments I missed most when we weren't together. Those nights when sleep eluded me? It wasn't because I couldn't fuck her. It was because I could hold her. I couldn't reach out and take Rose's hand in mine. I couldn't give her a goodnight kiss. Those were the things that kept me up at night.

We stayed like that, quietly soaking in the feeling of togetherness until the water became too cool to be comfortable. After rinsing off in the shower while the bath drained, we quickly dressed and joined the others hand in hand.

Nobody commented about our drawn-out morning, perhaps because we weren't the only ones who enjoyed a late night last night. Apparently, Lissa and Christian had only left their room a few minutes before us, and while Eddie had already hit the on-site gym, there were still some dark circles under his eyes. According to Adrian, the two of them had enjoyed a small movie marathon of upcoming releases and had only gone to bed maybe a half hour before Rose and I had stumbled home.

"Where's Nadia?" I asked, pouring two mugs of coffee for Rose and me before handing her the small basket of sugar and creamer. Rose had developed a taste for coffee during her late-night study sessions, but she still couldn't handle it black. I watched as she dumped two packets of creamer and sugar into her cup before taking a sip and adding one more creamer for good measure. When she caught my smirk, she rolled her eyes and tossed one of the sugar packets at me. Caught up in my love-struck stare, I barely managed to duck in time.

Eddie laughed at the exchange between us before answering. "I think she just finished her workout and hit the shower. I'm sure she'll be out soon. Until then, it might be a good idea to go over the plan again. So we have the brunch at…"

ROSE

Hanging out with Lissa and the others was bittersweet. Obviously, we were having the time of our lives milking Vegas for all it had to offer, but there was also a bit of sadness knowing that these were the moments I was missing day in and day out. When Dimitri insisted that he wanted togetherness more than sex, I had been ready to brush him off as just being overly concerned about the night before. But I also understood what he was talking about.

I didn't just want the big moments; I wanted the little ones, too. The little moments that most would overlook but felt like a knife in my heart.

Watching Eddie as he was showered with attention by a drag queen at brunch was hilarious, but the sound of his unabashed laughter would be the memory that lasted the longest.

Convincing Dimitri to try his guardian mask at one of the casino poker tables was fun but not nearly as memorable as his look of surprise when it won him almost $1000.

Cackling as Christan freaked out on the New York, New York rollercoaster was fantastic, but the feeling of Lissa tucking her face into my shoulder so she could hide her own amusement at her new husband's antics was heartbreaking…

Because I knew it couldn't last.

I was Cinderella at a fairytale ball, and it would all be over once the clock struck midnight. The carriage would go back to being a pumpkin, and I'd have to get back on a plane to take me back home.

I tried to hold onto each moment the best I could. I did everything I could to commit them to memory. I let Adrian spin me around to the live music on Freemont Street. I held Dimitri's hand as we watched acrobats perform nearly impossible feats. And when the moment came for me to say goodbye so they could return to Court, I did everything I possibly could not to cry.

"Why couldn't this trip last forever?" Lissa sniffled, echoing my own wishes.

"If it lasted forever, then it wouldn't have been so special." I wasn't sure which one of us I was trying to convince. I pulled her into another tight hug. "We need to have the normal to appreciate the exceptional."

She laughed, shaking her head in amusement. "Now you sound like Dimitri."

I looked at the man in question over her shoulder. "There are worse things." Dimitri was leaning against the wall; arms crossed in front of him, the picture of casual restraint even though I could tell it was taking everything in him not to scoop me up and run away together. The idea didn't seem so bad.

One by one, we offered our goodbyes. Even Nadia offered a quick goodbye that left me questioning things a little. I had watched her carefully throughout our short trip, and I couldn't help but wonder if my initial judgment had all been in my mind. Sure, she was friendly with Dimitri, but she was friendly with them all. Maybe my jealousy was more about my own insecurities. She was where I was supposed to be. The inside jokes she shared with Eddie and Adrian should have been mine. The casual bickering with Christian should have been between us, not them. While Lissa and I were always within arm's reach as we enjoyed the friendship that had been built between us through time and circumstance, there were moments when I could tell that Nadia had filled a hole I had left behind when I was forced to leave.

And Dimitri? There were a few 'blink and you miss it' moments when I caught Nadia staring just a little too long. Or she would smile at him in a way that made me want to scream at her. Worse, there were a few panicked moments where I almost questioned Dimitri, even though I knew better. I did. I swear. But there was that one time he laughed a little too loud at one of her jokes. Or when I realized he knew her Starbucks order but had forgotten mine. Little moments that probably meant nothing, especially when I had his arm around my shoulders and the echo of his kiss on my lips, but still…

Jealousy. Just my mind messing with me. That's it. Nothing more.

Nadia had taken my place in a few ways—as a guardian and friend amongst my friends—and now my traitorous mind was tricking me into questioning if she had taken my place in all ways. But it was ridiculous. Right? Dimitri and Nadia were professionals. There was respect and comradery between them, but that was it. They worked easily together, a well-oiled machine along with Eddie. However, even that hurt in its own way. It didn't take long for me to realize that I was more of a charge than a guardian while we were out and about. They circled around me the same way they circled around the Moroi, scanning for threats and occasionally signaling to one another with hand movements unknown to me. I tried to remind myself that it wasn't a personal slight, but nothing could quite soothe that sting.

I took a deep breath, offering Lissa one more hug when Eddie told her that it was time to go. As the others passed him, Nadia clapped Dimitri on the shoulder before saying, "We'll give you two a moment. Bye, Rose. Nice meeting you."

Then it was just me and Dimitri.

He barely made it a step towards me before I ran to him, crashing into his chest as his arms circled me and held me even closer. The tears I had held back so valiantly before started to escape in quiet little shudders.

"Shhh," Dimitri whispered, trying to soothe me despite the obvious pain that laced his own voice. "I know. I know. I hate it, too."

I pulled back slightly, offering him a watery smile in an attempt to reassure him that I wasn't going to completely fall apart. "Thank you for all this. Thank you for making sure I could be there for Lissa and Christian and for giving me the chance to see them all. I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever get the chance…" I drifted, not wanting to think about if I'd ever get the change again. Instead, I tried to lighten the heavy moment with a joke. "You committed treason, you know. Are you trying to join me in exile?"

He didn't laugh. In fact, the solemnness in his eyes made me wonder if he had actually considered it. Not the whole treason thing, of course, but joining me in Russia where we could finally be together. Last year, we had agreed that he needed to stay with Lissa and be her guardian before, but if he asked me again now? I wasn't sure I could be that strong again.

"I don't think you understand the lengths I would go to see you smile, Roza. Compared to your happiness, treason is nothing."

There wasn't an ounce of deception in his words. He meant them completely, and while a part of me was reassured by them, another part was ashamed. How could I have ever doubted this man for even a moment?

"Я тебя люблю, Дмитрий. Так много." I love you, Dimitri. So much.

He choked out a small laugh. My Russian had gotten much better. Technically, I was fluent. Still, I knew he'd always tease me about my accent, the same way I'd always tease him about his. I don't think we'd have it any other way.

"I love you, too. Ты мое сердце." You are my heart.

He glanced over my shoulder to the clock I knew was hanging on the wall before his shoulders sagged in defeat. He didn't have to say it. I knew it was time for him to go.

"I don't want to," he admitted, taking me by surprise.

Reaching up to cup his cheek, I put on my brave face before reassuring him the best I could. "You have to. But we'll see each other again soon, right?"

He nodded, but the small question of 'when' hung between us. It was a question that neither of us knew the answer to. The last time I asked when he was coming back home, he hesitated long enough for me to know it would probably be a while. It wasn't like he could fly back to his hometown on a whim. He had a demanding job that offered little in the way of vacation or free time. I knew Lissa tried to make things as easy as possible for Dimitri, Eddie, and Nadia, but there was only so much she could do. Between the upcoming wedding ceremony at Court, the last bit of her spring semester at Lehigh, and the massive schedule of political events Tatiana had planned for Lissa over the summer as a way to train her new protégé, Dimitri would be hard-pressed to have more than a day or two to himself.

Still, none of that stopped him from promising, "Yes. We'll see each other again soon."

"And until then, we can call, or text, or facetime. We'll be okay."

"We will." A strange look crossed his face as he broke the heavy moment with a somewhat devious smirk. "And you should have a package arriving soon."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," He said, the self-satisfied smile growing only more bright. "Consider it a birthday gift, though I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy playing with it, too."

Now I was really curious. And confused. Before I could ask what Dimitri meant, he pulled me into another tight hug.

"I think they've stalled the plane as long as possible. Are you going to be okay? You can get back to the airport on your own, right?" They were flying out of the private airstrip at Henderson while I would catch my flight out of the larger, public airport.

I rolled my eyes, simultaneously amused, annoyed, and touched by his overly protective concern. "I'll be fine, Dimitri. You don't have to worry about me."

"I will always worry about you, Roza. You are the most precious thing in my life, and I don't know how I'd ever recover if I lost you. If I'd ever recover." Again, I knew he meant every word. Dimitri might seem reserved and aloof from an outside perspective, but those closest to him knew better. When Dimitri loved, he loved with every fiber of his being.

"Sir?" The gate attendant called over to us. "The pilot says that you need to board now if you want to take off on time."

Dimitri groaned.

"Time to go, Comrade. I promise I'll call you as soon as I get back home."

He gave me one last breathtaking kiss, pulling away and leaving me almost dazed by the power behind it. "I love you, Rose. Take care of yourself, okay?"

I nodded, "I will. I love you, too."

I pushed him towards the door and watched as he disappeared down the jetway. Then, I watched as their plane took off and disappeared into the clouds. Then, hours later, I watched while the Las Vegas skyline disappeared below me.

By the time I finally collapsed on my bed, the whole weekend had disappeared like a dream, with only my memories to remind me that it had ever happened at all.

Author's Note

Whew. This chapter made me work for it. Over the past two weeks, I had written and then deleted three partial drafts that didn't feel quite right for the direction of this story. Then I sat down today, and everything finally clicked. Eight hours of writing (plus another hour for editing) and this is what you get. Inspiration can be a fickle thing.

Question of the week: Have you ever tried to write fanfiction? If so, what fandom and what story?