Dimitri's point of view in A Different Frostbite (A Vampire Academy Fanfic)

Chapter 8

The ski trip started well, until one Moroi night Rose woke with a scream.

"Roza" I ran to her bed pulling her into my arms, gently stroking her hair.

"Dimitri. It was terrible. It has to happen. In that way. It's fixed. We can't meddle. I can't even tell you all of what I saw. That makes it worse." A vision. A nightmare one too. It had her sweating and crying.

"Shhhh. Milaya. I'm here. We'll get through it."

"The thing is... It's an 'I have to get through it', 'I have to'. There's no 'we' in it. I have to take responsibility. It's vital. It has to be me."

"Oh Roza. What can you tell me?" Surely there was something she could tell me.

"Death. An attack. Drozdov's. Two states away. Something in Spokane. Some clue in Spokane. Ru..." She was about to spill too much. I hated that she was keeping things hidden but if she had to, she had to. There was nothing I could do.

She was proven right in the morning and again two days later. The following day she, Eddie, Mason, Mia and Christian went missing. I was in hysterics. My Roza, my fiancé was missing and I knew this part must be what she couldn't meddle with. This was what she couldn't warn me about. My facade of just being her teacher was crumbling. Enough suspicions were raised from the strategic move to have us in the same room on this trip. It broke two vital rules. I didn't know where she was or what was going on. I had a suspicion it was Spokane. She had seen it, the issue was she and Christian had left after the trio had. It had been five days after her vision we had enough information to go get her.

The sight I saw when we arrived at that house broke my heart. She held a lifeless Mason, surrounded by two other bodies- Strigoi. She had staked one- it was still in her chest. The other she had decapitated with a blunt sword. I didn't know what had happened but she did. She'd foreseen it and then had to make sure it happened. She'd lived it twice. I'd be damned if I let her have nightmares that relived this. Her eyes showed she didn't see us. We were threats that's all that mattered to her. "Rose. Rose. You've done enough." Hoping she'd have a vision I decided to imagine Evie and thinking; 'remember Evie'. Her face showed she'd seen it. She threw herself into my arms and picked her up onto my hip and carried her out.

"Dimitri. I had to. I had to let Mason die. It was him or all three of them. Plus the other families targeted. They're after Royals." She cried into my shoulder.

"Oh Rose." I couldn't imagine sacrificing one of my friends. She had to be hurting.

We sat separately on the plane back to the academy, but I wasn't too far away- keeping an eye on her. About half an hour into the flight Mia came over after sitting with Rose.

"Guardian Belikov?"

"Yes?"

"Rose wants you. Said only you'd understand."

"Thanks Miss Rinaldi." Two seconds later I was at Roses side.

"Roza" I whispered.

"Dimitri." She fell into my arms and I let her stay there. I was wary of the others but right now she needed me. Not her mentor. Me.

The plane landed and I carried a sleeping Rose on my hip to her room. Janine in tow.

"What's wrong with her Belikov? Why won't she let anyone else in? Why only you?"

"She's in shock. She's been through that whole incident twice- once in a vision 6 days ago and again yesterday. I was there when she had the vision. It was so vivid she awoke with a bloodcurdling scream, sweating and freaked out. She had to sacrifice Mason to save countless others."

"Why you? Why does she only let you in?"

"Because she's learnt to trust I won't judge. And I don't judge her. If she shows you weakness it's a sign of complete trust. That you've broken through her facade. To train her effectively I had to break through her facade, get her to open up to me. The only way was to let her into my life. Trust with her is a two way street."

"I shut her out. I didn't let her know much more than the legends. I didn't show I cared. I judged her. That's what I did wrong isn't it?"

"I'll be blunt Guardian Hathaway. Yes. All she wanted was someone to show they cared. They weren't judging her, critiquing yes but judging no. She wanted someone to appreciate her achievements- big and small. Someone who understands- I do. You'd be surprised to know I was just like her at one stage. Full of raw potential and energy, reckless and lacking in self control."

"I don't know my own daughter. I really don't. She means a lot to you doesn't she?"

"Yes. She does."

"She loves you. I can see it. I don't want to see it but I do. I can see it in the way she looks at you. The way she can switch so quickly from serious to playful and back again. The way she calls you 'Dimitri' and 'comrade'. The way she interacts with you on another level completely."

"I've noticed."

"Do you?" She took a deep breath before continuing "do you love her too? I want the truth. I would like to say I'd press charges but that'd only backfire on me. Do you love my daughter?"

"Yes. I do love her. I'd do anything for her. No matter the cost."

"Look after her. I'm not happy but she's happy. I won't press charges but I want to do something right by her. Judging her for being in love and truly happy is the worst thing I could do."

"Thank you Guardian Hathaway. I consider myself warned. I will look after her no matter what."

"Good. Now call me Mom." Ok, that's awkward.

I put Rose down gently on her bed.

"Mom?"

"I'll leave you to it. Night Belikov."

"Night." I got Rose changed without stirring her. I changed myself into my stash of my clothes Rose had in a draw and climbed in after her.

"Mmmm comrade? How long have I been out?" I thought about it.

"Twelve hours easily."

"You've been here the whole time?"

"Yup" I kissed her forehead. "Oh. I should let you know your mother knows." She'd hate it if I told her later.

"Damn straight I'd hate you if you told me later!" She laughed. "How'd she find out?"

"Can't you just find it?"

"I want to hear it from you!" She teased. Kissing my cheek. I told her and she laughed.

"My mother wants you to call her Mom?!" She sounded like she couldn't believe it. I couldn't.

"Yes. It's the most awkward thing ever!"

"Not awkward comrade, terrifying is the better adjective!"

"You're right!" I laughed while kissing her cheek. She giggled at the sensation.

"Damn Dimitri! Only you could reduce me to giggles. What's the plan today?"

"Training if you want. Mason's memorial is tomorrow and your second marking the day after."

"I don't want those damn marks! I had to sacrifice my friend." She cried into my chest.

"You don't get a say. I wish you did- you don't need the reminders." I lifted her face to mine pouring out all the love I felt for her in a kiss that quickly turned into so much more. Neither of us held back. We needed each other and that was all that mattered in that moment.