I lay with Rose as she slept, snoring lightly next to me. I smiled as I stared down at her, watching her beautiful sleeping face. Beauty, something that was still so new to me, so raw, and so amazing. I reached over, and gently touched her face. I saw her full lips turn up at the corners, but she didn't wake. Rose was a hard sleeper, so it took a lot to pull her out of the coma's she called sleeping. I laid here, staring into her sleeping face, when there was a knock at the door. I carefully maneuvered myself out of the bed, and tip-toed my way to the door. When I opened it, a guardian stood before me. She had a familiar face, but I couldn't put a name to it.

"Guardian Belikov, I was asked to retrieve you for Abe Mazur and Janine Hathaway. They would like to speak with you on the back deck." She said. I swallowed hard, knowing what this was going to be.

"I'll be there soon. Let me get my boots." I told her. She nodded.

"They also told me to inform you, that if you don't show… They will come find you." She said. I chuckled quietly.

"Thank you." She nodded, and turned to walk away. I shut the door, and walked back over to the bed. I grabbed a piece of paper, and wrote Roza a small note, letting her know where I'd be, and what happened if I didn't return. I laid it in her open palm on the bed. I slipped my boots on, and headed out, pretty terrified of what I was walking into. I knew what this was about, and I knew that when they found out, my ass would be on the line. I kept telling myself that it was best to get this over with now, and then I wouldn't have to worry about it anymore, but still. It was going to be interesting telling her parents I slept with her before she was of age. This was going to be fun. I took a deep breath before sliding the back door open, and stepping out into the cool night air. I stepped out onto the deck, staring into the faces of Janine Hathaway and Abe Mazur.

"Belikov, so nice to see you again." Abe said, extending a hand to me. I shook it hesitantly.

"Same to you, Mr. Mazur, Janine." I said, inclining my head.

"Belikov." She said, nodding once. There was an uncomfortable silence, before Abe threw his arm around my shoulder.

"So, you fancy my daughter, Ehh?" He asked. I wasn't sure what to say.

"Ibraham." She warned. "I told you to let me handle this." He sighed, but removed his arm. She turned her gaze to me. She slipped her guardian mask over her face. She meant business this time.

"Guardian Belikov." She started.

"Please… My name's Dimitri. Call me Dimitri." I said. She nodded.

"Alright. Dimitri… How long have you and my daughter been… hmm, how to put this? Romantically involved?" She asked. I looked down, thinking back to St. Vladimirs.

"Since before the attack on the school." I replied simply.

"You did realize at that time she was under age, did you not?"

"I did. I was aware." I said, looking up to meet her eyes.

"How long before the attack at the school?" Abe asked, cutting Janine's next words off. Janine looked at him, and then to me as if it were okay to answer.

"It's kind of hard to pinpoint the exact starting. As we trained, I started falling in love with her. It was wrong. She was seventeen, I was twenty-four. I knew that. I beat myself up over that, but I couldn't help it. I'm not sure if you're away of this, but your daughter has quite a charm about her." I said. Abe chuckled.

"She got that from me." He said. Janine's eyes cut up to glare at him.

"What all had… gone on between you and her while she was still underage?" She asked.

"Before or after the lust spell?" I asked, knowing this would shock them. They hadn't known the truth about the spell Victor Dashkov had put us under. There were only a select few, including Victor, but he was now dead.

"Lust spell?" Janine spat.

"The spell Victor had Rose and I under."

"You told the moroi court it caused her to attack you." Janine said, still not believing what I was telling her.

"She did. She threw herself at me. I told her to go back to her room. I thought she was drunk. She tried to get into my room around me, and I pinned her wrists to her sides, but the moment I touched her, the spell….the spell affected me too." I explained.

"What all happened?" Abe almost growled.

"Nothing like that. I was able to figure out what was happening before things went that far. There was a lot of kissing, and a lot of clothes were removed, but I didn't take advantage of her, if that's what your asking me. I'm stronger that that. I removed her necklace, the one Victor had charmed, and threw it out the window. Then, we both woke up." I said. They both nodded, as if this appeased them.

"Why'd you lie about it?" She asked.

"I knew if they found out it was a lust spell, they'd realize those only work within the confines of one having feelings for the other. If they knew that, I would have lost my job, and probably been put in jail. At first, after the spell… I told Rose to turn us in. I felt so guilty about what had happened, but she refused. I lied to her when she asked, telling her everything I'd done and said was because of the spell, but she knew better and went to Victor in his cell to ask about it. He told her the truth about how Lust Spell's work. She realized I really did have feelings for her, and called me out on it like she so often does." I said, smirking to myself a bit. Janine and Abe weren't happy about any of this. I knew that, but better I tell them the truth now, then lie and get caught later. I wasn't so sure they'd let me live then.

"What about after all that?" She asked.

"After that, we fought to contain our feelings. There were a few moments of weakness, a few stolen kisses here and there, but other than that… we were pretty good at keeping our feeling under control." I said. Janine looked down and back up at me.

"Dimitri, did you and Rose have sex while she was still under age?" She asked. I quickly averted my gaze to the floor. Dammit. Here it was, my death wish. Hundreds of answers were running through my mind, as I tried to pick the right one. I knew no matter how I said it, the answer would be the same. I'd had sex with a minor. No matter how it came out, they wouldn't be happy.

"Belikov." Abe barked. I looked up and met her eyes, finally picking the most simple, and suitable answer.

"Yes." I admitted in defeat. Abe stepped forward as if he were going to hit me, but Janine put out a restraining hand, to keep him from moving. She looked at Abe, and then back to me.

"You do realize I could have you arrested for statutory rape." Janine said, voice smooth. I took a deep breath, feeling a little brave.

"Here's the thing, I know it was wrong. I knew it long before it actually happened, but I don't regret it. I'd fought it for so long. I tried my hardest to restrain, but I couldn't do it. Rose and I had tried for so long, but we couldn't do it anymore. I needed her. She needed me. I've always beat myself up over it, but… I don't regret what I did. If I could go back, I'd do it over. I know you don't approve. I didn't approve either at the time, but… If I could go back, I'd do it all over again. I wouldn't change it. I loved her then. I love her now." I said. Janine stared at me, as did Abe. I don't think they were expecting things to come pouring out of me the way they did. I hadn't been either. Actually, I expected to be attacked long before this.

"You were the reason she was in Russia?" Abe asked. I took a long breath, not wanting to recall these memories.

"Yes. I was. When I was… awakened, she came hunting for me. I left the U.S to avoid running into her as a strigoi, but… she wasn't going to let me go that easy. I should have known." I said, staring down at the ground. They said nothing, and their silence made me look up. Both of them had their eyes on me.

"You tried to awaken her?" Janine asked. I nodded.

"I tried." I whispered, pain filling my voice. I've forgiven myself. Remember, she wont stay with you unless you forgive yourself.

"Obviously, you didn't succeed." Abe said, voice hard.

"No. She was tough. I did horrible, horrible things to her… but she fought through. She fought her way out. She came up with the perfect master plan to get herself out. She's smart. I came after her, but she'd already figured out her other master plan to change me back. I went through a phase where I pushed her away, pretending that my feelings had faded for her, because all I could dwell on was the.. The guilt I had inside of me over what I'd done to her… but eventually I gave in. Spending so much time with her since we broke her out, I realized that I couldn't try and hide my feelings. They were always going to be there." I said.

"What did you do to her in Russia?" Janine asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I… I treated her basically as a feeder." I said. Janine growled.

"I regret it every day of my life. The images of the things I'd done, the people I've hurt never leave my mind. I didn't think I'd ever be able to forgive myself… but she does. She never held it against me. How, I'll never begin understand." I murmured, meeting their gazes again.

"Because I love you." A new voice whispered, intertwining her fingers with mine. I smiled as I turned to face Rose. She smiled up at me, lighting the area around us. Abe made a gagging noise, and she growled at him. He smiled at her though.

"Rose, Guardian Belikov has told us all that went on between the two of you." Janine said. Rose nodded.

"Okay." She said, not seeming at all worried.

"You don't seem at all worried that I could have him arrested." Janine said, voice hard like ice.

"I'm not, because you wont." Rose stated firmly. Her mother's eyebrows rose.

"You seem so sure." Abe said, looking at Rose questioningly. I was sort of worried she was going to have me arrested.

"I am. I love him. He makes me happy, and he's saved my life more times than I can count anymore. What we did… it wasn't wrong. Age is just a number, and you know as well as anyone… I was grown long before I hit eighteen." She said, looking at her mother.

"That doesn't matter. You were a minor." She said.

"It does matter, because I was so sure of what I did. I didn't have to think twice about it. I loved him then, just as I love him now. If your going to have him arrested, let me know now, because I'll be going with him. I'll turn myself in as the person who broke Victor Dashkov out of jail. I'll turn myself in to all the other crimes I've committed. I'll be sharing a jail cell with him." Rose said. Janine frowned, knowing Rose would do it.

"Rose, we're not going to turn you in. You should just know… what you did at such a young age was wrong." Abe said.

"It wasn't wrong. It was so right. I love him. I've always loved him. I'm a Hathaway. I do what I think is right, regardless of what anyone else says. You know what that's like mom." She said, her gaze cutting to her mother. Janine's expression softened a little.

"Now, if you'll excuse us… we have things to do." Rose said, squeezing my hand. I wasn't sure what those things were, but I didn't care. I was in a hurry to get the hell out of here. She turned, pulling me with her back through the door.

"Belikov?" Abe barked. I turned, pulling Rose to a stop.

"Yes sir?" I asked.

"Take care of my girl." He said, a small smile playing on his lips. I nodded, and smiled back earnestly.

"With my life." I assured him.