I'M ALIVE. YEAH. I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN LIKE MONTHS. DAMN. Okay.

I am SORRRRRRRRRYYYY!

Hopefullu this 4,000 word final chapter makes up for my lack of time organisation? I've been so busy with assignments and tests. Right now I should be studying and assignmenting so yeah.

This is the final chapter! No sequal - sorry.

And for those who read "Badass Hathaway" - I don't know if I'm gonna continue it. I haven't updated that in AGEEESSS.

I have 1003 reviews so far. YAY WE MADE IT PAST THE 1000 MARK! I LOVE YOU GUYS!

Thank you guys so much for reading this little story. And for those who followed this story from chapter one - I LOVE YOU. It's been a very long journey and it's finally over.

Read my one shots?

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and my other stories? THANKS.

And I may start a new story eventually. Or maybe a Vampire Diaries fanfic. Who knows.

And I started watching SUPERNATURAL. OMG I AM IN LOVE. IT IS FANTASTIC.

ANWAY. Enjoy and review the last chapter!

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Golden rays of warmth hovered over the school in early morning, or night in Moroi terms and time. I was sitting on an old ledge that was dangerously close to the end of the balcony. I came to this balcony every 'night' to clear my head. I hadn't visited in a while because of my life's drama so I thought why not? The balcony was located on top of my dorm and was easily accessible due to my awesome stealthy ninja skills. It also helped having a room on the highest level in the novice dorm buildings. All I had to do was climb up the drain pipe outside my window and there I was.

A lot had been going in lately at St. Vladimir's Academy. Dimitri left then came back. Chris and I were a couple. Chris backstabbed me and Lissa. Dimitri and I are a couple. And on top of that, Graduation party was yesterday which means today are my final trials. Busy life much?

The balcony had a breath taking view of the school. It was sunset and the sun's rays laced around the pine trees surround the academy and a soft fresh smelling breeze swept through the deserted school grounds. Long shadows danced around waiting until the sun set. Sweet silence filled the air comfortably. Warmth tickled my skin one last time before the sun stepped down from its heavenly staged and bided farewell until tomorrow.

I had a lot of my mind at the moment. With Chris finally showing his true colours and Dimitri finally being mine, I had no time to even think about trials. Final trials were the most important test that a novice had to take. It was the test that determined if you'll become a guardian or not. And here I am thinking about my love life. That could wait, couldn't it?

I just have to … forget. Calm down. Get ready for the test of my life. If I failed this test, that was it. All my hard work would have been a waste. My life would have been a waste. Oh God. That so doesn't make me nervous.

On a brighter note, last night's graduation party was fantastic. We partied all night, celebrating Graduation Eve. We were allowed to have fun but the party ended early since final trials were the day after. We needed a good night's sleep.

At the party, we had no worries about Tasha. Thank God Lissa got rid of her. I still don't know how we didn't think of compulsion earlier. I somehow managed to get Chris off my mind. Whether it was the spiked punch or my restored happiness, who knows?

Dimitri and I made up. That was the highlight of my night. Everyone applauded us and even announced our getting back together. I smiled at the memory. Dimitri and I still had to have a little chat about us though.

The only problem? Liss and Christian. Caught in all my drama, I didn't get a chance to fix Lissa's drama. She needed a happy ending, and I was going to make that happen.

"Rosemarie! Now!" I looked over the edge of the building to see a pissed off Stan. "Hurry up!"

Yeah. I'll fix Lissa's relationship problems. Right after my final trials.

-FH- -FH- -FH- -FH- -FH- -FH-

Lights flashed repeatedly, following the rhyme of the traditional trials song the school's band played. As the guardians finished setting up the final touches to the course, Novices cracked their necks trying to catch a sneak peak of the obstacle. The crowd roared wildly as Alberta stood on the small stage off the field and announced that the trials were about to start.

The event was massive. The annual final trials for Novices were important so it was natural for the occasion to be very impressive.

In the back preparation and waiting room, Novices stretched, panicked and were asking teachers that had been mentors for advice. I was all alone.

Dimitri had been called to actually test people on the field. In my opinion, that was completely unfair. Which novice would beat a Russian god like him? There was no competition.

I sighed and glanced at my friends. Eddie and Meredith were off stretching and talking tactics. Shane was talking to some new guardian and everyone else was peeking through the window watching the first trial.

Not me. I was going in there blind. It was cheating learning the course before hand, that's why I was just clearing my mind in the back. Deep breaths. I thought. Clear your mind.

I was nearly calm when a voice interrupted by thoughts.

"Hathaway! We were worried you wouldn't show up. Some people even started making bets about whether or not you'll show."

A normal person would have said that teasingly, even if it was true. But Stan Alto was – and always will be – a dick. A serious, stone faced dick. Stan busied himself in the storage closet, looking for supplies.

"Oh really? What are the odds? I could still leave, make some pocket money."

He glared at me and then went back onto the field once he collected some more materials.

"Oh God." I muttered. I closed my eyes again, attempting to calm myself down again.

I started thinking about what Dimitri would say in this situation, if he was here. Only, I was interrupted again.

"Are you meditating?" A voice I knew so well remarked.

"Mum?" I stared in disbelief. Sure enough a little red headed midget stood in front of me. "Why are you here?"

"You honestly thought I'd miss your trials?"

"Um…" I really didn't think she would come. Shouldn't she be in Nepal with Lord Selzky? She never showed interest in my life but … she's here.

"Thanks." I smiled. Maybe having my mother encouraging me before the biggest test in my life isn't so bad?

"I couldn't miss it." She returned my smile. "Never could your father."

"Father?" I said. Father? I don't even know my father! Why would he be here?

"Yes. Father. He's the one with the scarf over there." She pointed into the crowd to a tanned, Turkish Moroi wearing a bright scarf and pinstripe suit. He had a beard and wore flashy jewellery. He looked like a pirate.

"My father is a Turkish Mobster Pirate dude?"

"Rosemarie! Abe Mazur is a nice guy." I looked back into his direction. He was in a conversation with…

"Is that Adrian with the mobster?" I squeaked. "Adrian was just starting to be less annoying! He even gave up cigarettes a couple of days ago. This is going to ruin everything."

"Adrian won't affect Abe." My mum said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Duh. It's Abe influencing Adrian I'm worried about."

"Why do you care?"

"He's my friend." I paused trying to make out the words coming from their mouths. "Do you think they're talking about me?"

"Rosemarie!" My mother scolded. You are about to take the most important test of your life. Forget about them. Just be calm. I need to go now. You are about to be called up soon and I want to watch."

"Ok. Bye." I waved at her retreating figure.

Everything with my mother was fast, simple and professional. Her visits were never long, if I was lucking enough to be graced with her presence. Well. No one to disturb me now.

I close my eyes and all thoughts left my mind. Gone with my mother, father, Chris, Lissa and Dimitri. It was time to actually concentrate on the test I was about to take. Maybe I should meditate?

I sighed again and tilted my head back against the wall behind me. Wow. I actually calmed down.

Thump Thump.

Footsteps banged on the ground next to me.

"For fuck's sak-"

I was silenced with a kiss.

I returned the kiss eagerly, before breaking apart. I knew those soft lips anywhere.

"Dimitri…" I breathed against his mouth.

"Roza…" My heart sped up at the use of my nickname.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be on the field."

"I couldn't let you take your final trials without wishing you luck." I smiled.

"Don't worry Comrade. I'm awesome. I can do this blindfolded. Hell, I'm might even do it. Do you have a blindfold? I might let you tie it on for me…"

"Oh really?" He remarked in the same teasing tone I used. "Who would untie it afterwards?"

"I was thinking we could recycle the blindfold for later." I smirked.

"Oh Roza. Sometimes I think every day I spend with you if my own personal trial."

"You need to be tested somehow." We laughed and soon all nervous feelings escaped my body. Seeing Dimitri had finally allowed me to calm down. He paused, finger to his eyepiece. He must be needed on the field now.

"Good luck. Not that you need it." He kissed me a final time and went off toward the field. Oh God.

Ok. Ok. Ok. I closed my eyes once again. If someone disturbs me I swear to God-

"Rosemarie Hathaway!"

"What!" I opened my eyes to see that no one has called me. The doors to the field opened.

That means… Oh No. Great. My trial.

I took a deep breath and walked toward the field where I would take the test that would determine my future.

-FH- -FH- -FH- -FH- -FH- -FH-

Trials were a blur.

As soon as I stepped onto the field, the test began. I was given a Moroi – some new guardian – and I had to escape a group of strigoi. As soon as my charge was with me, I was surrounded by 5 guardians in black. Shit.

I had no time to think. I grabbed my charge and told him we needed to run towards the bridge. He was resistant at first – playing the part of a terrified Moroi – but soon I used my "nice voice" and he began to run.

The guardians were on us. My charge got to the bridge and stopped.

"We can't make it." He cried.
"Sure you can. You need to cross the bridge. Now." I pushed him a bit for encouragement.
"What about you."
"Don't worry about me."

I stayed behind while he crossed the bridge. I took down the closest guardian near me by a punch to the shoulder and practise stake through the heart. The practise stakes were blunt and didn't hurt anyone, although you could tell if you knew how to use a stake properly by the force of our strike.

Two other guardians ganged up on me, trying to use numbers to bring me down. I somehow managed to knock one out and then stake the other.

There were still more guardians after me but I needed to find my Moroi. I crossed the bridge carefully. It was old and rickety. Some loose and lost planks showed that other novices had unfortunately found weak spots.

I found my charge near the end of the bridge.

"Stop!" I called after him. He stopped and looked at me questionably. "Ok. I need to you grab hold of the side ropes and hold on. Do not let go no matter what." He nodded and complied to my wishes. I did the same.

Just as the guardians were about to cross the bridge, I took out the knife I was supplied with and slashed both side ropes, resulting in the bridge collapsing.

With that done, I helped my Moroi escape from the bridge and we ran to the finish line.

It was as if the test lasted 5 minutes. I was in and out of the arena.

"That's it?" I asked Alberta and Dimitri as they met me on the sideline.

"What do you mean?" Dimitri asked. His face was glowing with pride. Huh. I must have done good.

"It was…" I searched my brain for a word. I didn't want to say easy, because it wasn't. "Short?"

"Rose. You were out there for 1 hour." Alberta chimed in.

"Really?"

"Really. And you were fantastic." Alberta hugged me and then went off to announce the next novice.

"Roza. You were amazing. I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks Comrade" I smiled and hugged him. "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have lasted out there. Thanks."

"It wasn't me. It was you." He kissed my forehead.

"So. What happens now?"

"Now, you become a guardian."

-FH- -FH- -FH- -FH- -FH- -FH-

...

...
The room was gorgeous. Lissa had really outdone herself. But why wouldn't she? She had loads of spare time on hand since she no longer spent every waking - and sleeping - second with Christian. she had focused all her time and attention on last night's ball and today's novice graduation party and promise mark ceremony.
Black and white decorated the room. The colour of death and life. Guardians tended to use these colours traditionally as in bringing dead to strigoi meant more Moroi could give life but Lissa modernized the traditions.
With the black and white, brilliant bright golds and reds lightened up the room, making it look like an actually celebration. She hadn't gone as far as balloons - thank God - but she did go to the extreme of getting some locked keg or something for the punch so no one - especially me - could spike it. Oh Lissa. Little did she know, I bought an imitation of the locked keg and swapped the boring punch keg with my awesome vodka and punch. I am always 3 steps ahead of her.
I talked to everyone as the party started. Everyone congratulated me on my "wonderful test". I didn't think people would actually go out of their way to congratulate me, but they did. Lissa was extremely proud of me - she tell me know through the bond and in person - but what she kept secret was that she felt lonely and hurt. I think it is the time to activate mission "Get Lissa Laid."
"Dimitri!" I called out for him. He was setting up the stage for the promise mark ceremony but quickly dropped the task at hand when I called him. One of the many reasons why I love him. He'll do anything for me, anytime.
"Yes, Roza?" He asked when caught up with me. We were walking out of the ceremony hall, and towards somewhere quieter so I could fill him in on my plan.
"I need you to help me with something important."
"Anything."
"We're going to get Lissa and Christian back together."
"Good idea. But how?"
"That's where your help comes in."

-FH-

"Lissa!" I screamed. A worried look crossed my face as I played the role.
"What?" She asked, confused as to why I was worried.
"You need to check out the fire classroom now! Some people were ... stealing your party decorations and ... figuring ways on how to spike the punch!"
"What! Those idiots." She hissed and stormed off towards the elemental fire classroom.
Step one completed.
Hopefully Dimitri played his role right.

-FH-

I followed Lissa towards the classroom, trying not to laugh at her mutters about "the stupidity of today's teenage population." She always wanted everything to be perfect for her parties so when I tipped her off about the "party crashers", she raced to action.
She finally managed to get to the classroom and without thinking she opened the door and banged it shut behind her.
"Lock it!" I screamed as I saw Dimitri come into view. He complied and then turned towards me with a questioning look.
"Do you really think this will work?"
I nodded and smiled.
"Now we wait-"
"CHRISTIAN? What are you doing here?"
A high pitched voice shrieked. Lissa has finally found Pyro.
I smirked. "These two will be all over each other by the end of the half hour."
"Yeah." Dimitri agreed.
"How did you get Christian to come here?"
"I just told him his teacher wanted to discuss his marks." He shrugged.
"Simple, yet sly. Me likey."
Dimitri shook his head at my comment then set his eyes on the little window in the door.
Christian and Lissa were just staring at each other - glaring was actually a better word. No one moved, no one spoke.
Maybe this would take longer than half an hour?
"What are you doing here?" They both said at the same time. They glared at each other again. Oh Lord.
"That's it." Lissa turned her back on Pyro and tried to open the classroom door, only it was locked.
"Damn it." She swore while fiddling with the lock.
Christian came over and examined the door knob.
"It's locked from the outside! Damn." Fire lit up on the tips of his fingers and he tried to burn the lock.
"Nah huh!" I yelled from the other side. "Everything in the fire classroom is fire proof!" Aren't I a genius? There was a reason I picked this room.
"Rose?" Christian and Lissa exclaimed in unison.
"You aren't getting out until you make up!"
"You're being childish!" Lissa screamed.
"Rose. Open this door now or I'll set you alight."
"Fireproof, remember?"
"Guh!"
I laughed at these failed attempted of getting out.
"Now make up! Me and Dimitri are going for a walk. By the time we come back you better have settled this."
"Wait? Guardian Belikov was apart of this plan?"
"BYE!"
I grabbed Dimitri and hurried off, their screams and yells become just cries in the distance.

-FH-

"Um... about the talk we were supposed to have..."
I trailed off, mid-sentence.
Dimitri and I were talking around campus on our last day of being at the academy. We were just taking in the scenery and saying goodbye.
"Yeah?" He responded.
"Maybe we should talk now?"
"Um. Okay. What happened with ... him?" Dimitri avoided saying his name - thankfully.
"He was a fucking dick. He was spying on Liss and Christian on behalf of the Queen! He broke them up with a bullshit lie and then ran away. The pussy!"
"If I ever see him again, I will kill him."
"I'll help." We laughed together.
"What about him liking you, was that a set up?"
"Well... he says it isn't. I think it was all about of his devious plan. I hate him more than I hate 80's music."
"You've never listened to 80's before."
"Comrade, I had to endure 5 hours worth of 80's music on our way to my qualifier, not to mention all the times you played your gay songs during practice!"
"Huh."
"Yeah. Huh."
A silence fell upon us as we continued to walk. The sun was setting over the horizon, causing long shadows to stretch over campus.
"What happens to us now?" I ask.
"What do you mean?"
"How can we be together if you are both guarding Lissa?"
"About that..." I gave him a questioning look, begging him to continue. "I organized a transfer."
"What!" I screamed. "You're leaving me?"
"What?"
"You transferred! Oh God. Is she pretty? And she's Moroi? I can't compete with that!-"
"Roza! Stop. What are you talking about?"
"You transferred charges. You probably got re-assigned to some beautiful Moroi who could give you children." A tear leaked from my eye. I was on the verge of crying.
And then Dimitri started laughing.
"What?" I snapped.
"I'm not leaving you." It took a moment for those words to register.
"Huh?"
"I got reassigned to Christian."
"OH MY GOD!" I jumped into his arms and kissed him. He was a genius! Christian was with - or will be - with Lissa all the time and we could be together! We could take holidays off at the same time and everything.
"This is your best idea, yet!"
"I know." He smiled.
Maybe we were going to have a proper happy ending after all. But first.
"Come on. Let's go check on the love birds."

-FH-

"Lissa, I love you. Please forgive me." Christian pleaded.

"Oh Christian!" Liss flung herself in his arms and kiss him lovingly.

Gag! This is as sucky as a bad love movie.

"Alright. That's enough!" I opened the door and grabbed them both before they started ... going at it in a classroom. "You love her. She loves you. Now LET'S PARTY."

...

...

...

We all went back to the party where they were in the middle of giving Eddie his promise mark. Everyone cheered and clapped as the inker bandaged his neck and Alberta read out that he was now an official guardian. And then Alberta called me up.

I walked up proudly and took my seat. Staring into all of the eyes looking back at me in awe, I felt as if a chapter was ending in my life. No longer would I be a novice, but a guardian.

The sting of the needle pricked my neck as Alberta read out my trial marks. I was surprised, they were the highest in the year by far. All my hardwork had finally paid off. In no time, my mark was ready and I was announced a guardian.

"I present, Guardian Rose Hathaway." The crowd cheered and clapped as loud as they could, screaming out things like "We love you Rose" and "Well done!".

I smiled and went back to my friends. We had done it. We had survived high school and a mess of a world. We had made it.

"I'm so proud of you, my love." Dimitri whispered in my eye.

"So all your awesome training sessions didn't go to waste Comrade?" I laughed.

"No they didn't Roza."

"I love you Dimitri."

"I love you too Rose."

His lips met mine and not too far away I heard a similar exchange between Lissa and Christian.

One chapter of our lives have ended and now a new one begins.

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This wasn't betaed and it's a bit rushed so sorry! Hopefully you enjoyed the last chapter either way. Again, sorry for not updating.

PLEASE REVIEW! ily.