DPOV
When my phone rang this morning it didn't cause Rose to stir. Thankfully. I moved quietly out and back to Hathaway Sr's room to get the most recent and significant update.
"Belikov," Janine and Alberta greeted.
"Hathaway, Petrov."
"Rose seems to be handling the info she illicitly gained yesterday and keeping it to herself," observed Hathaway.
I staunched a proud smile. "She's stronger and more mature than she lets on." And it made my heart beat for her when it absolutely shouldn't. "When it comes to the Princess' safety and a situation such as this, she is incredibly dedicated and responsible." I decided to shut up now before I started gushing in an inappropriate way.
Alberta smiled tightly and nodded at me. "That's got a lot to do with the way you've trained her, Belikov. You should be proud."
Never said I wasn't. I shrugged. "It's just that I've trained her." Though I doubted I'd ever train out her impulsiveness, and a traitorous part of me didn't want to because it was part of what made her so dangerous.

Janine promptly returned to the task at hand, the small discussion regarding her daughter seemed to have lifted her spirits just a little. That small yet still relevant distraction had apparently relieved her of a little extra worry. She wanted Roza to be the guardian she and I both knew Rose could be, and this was evidence to her that there was hope still. There was a beacon of hope in this dark time, and to us her daughter was that small and flickering but still strong symbol of hope. She may have distanced herself from Rose just as I knew I should, but Rose was still a reason she was holding on and being such a leader. She had to do this because it was her duty and her job, but she genuinely cared about everyone our ranks protected, including the novices- her daughter especially. I'd seen Rose learn from observing her mother yesterday, but I now witnessed Janine draw strength from hope for Rose's future, hope that Rose would follow in her footsteps.

The Hathaway strength and gift for guarding. If I ever found a way to be with Rose, I would be proud to be related to those two women, to be connected in a personal way to the two female forces of nature to be reckoned with. If I ever found a way. If Rose ever let me.

"Where the hell did you get to," demanded Rose after I pulled her away from Ivashkov's room. I think she was returning the perfumes. I think. I still didn't understand why Lissa had been in the room. "I wake up and find you disappeared, no note, nothing. Thanks for the heart attack."
"We got some more information regarding the location of the Strigoi." I was hesitant to tell her, but after Alberta and Janine's pride and seeing how serious Rose was now, I decided she was ready and capable of processing this info and keeping it private. She was as trustworthy as I kept defending her of being.
"And?"
"We turned up an address in Spokane via a witness who caught one escape vehicles plates. There's other leads that lend credence to the possibility."
Rose turned incredulous. "Spokane! As in Spokane, Washington? Who hides there?"
"Apparently Strigoi."
Rose's face took on a dangerous, planning glint and I braced myself for her crazy plan or idea. "Are you going after them?" she asked tentatively, softly, doubtfully.
"You know we won't without clearance from both councils. So, no." Much as I was itching to take them out before they could breach an Academy, lodge, or- heaven forbid- Court.
"No?" She looked and sounded as furious as I felt. It was another reason I was so drawn to her. She shared my beliefs and wasn't afraid to voice my thoughts, express my feelings. She was the yin to my yang.
"No."
"Surely not even you want to be so damn cautious!"
"Rose," I chastised, painfully. I hated snapping at her, especially as her teacher, but I had to at least appear to be reprimanding and disciplining.
She sighed and reluctantly relaxed. "Sorry Dimitri." She actually pulled puppy eyes on me. "But don't you agree the Moroi talk too much? That it's got to be safer in the long run? Just as Tasha said?" I did and she knew it, I could tell from my eyes that she did indeed know it.
"You know it. But we can't. It's not up to me, it's out of our control. And we can't rush in without all the details. It's not going to work if we go in blindly."
"Zen life lessons again." I was beginning to wonder if every time she bitterly muttered that it was a sign she actually took it on board.
I had been so focused on Rose that I didn't register Tasha's approach until her hand touched my arm.
"Dimka," she smiled. "Rose," she greeted kindly.
"Tasha," Rose returned with forced niceness. I could still see her hurt and jealousy, but I also saw a fire of resilience. And god-damn-it it made her all the more... loveable.
"You coming? A group of us are shooting pool..."
Oh how I wanted to... with Rose in tow. And just for the hell of it. "Thanks, but I can't."
"Dimka," she whined flirtatiously. "You have to stop this. When did your shift end?"
"Half an hour ago."
"Come on, then!" she encouraged.
I shook my head. "I can't, not with everything and not when you consider I'm always Lissa's guardian."
"For now," she purred hopefully then turned to face Rose. "You really are lucky to have such an incredible role model."
"For now," Rose repeated in a sad whisper. She was looking where Tasha's hand still lingered on my arm. I decided to put her out of her misery and dismiss her.
"I'll see you later, Rose."
She nodded with glistening eyes and walked away.

It was taking everything in her to be so mature for me, to sacrifice her happiness because she loves me so completely. My heart was breaking because hers was as I was hesitating to tell Tasha no.

"We need to talk," I sighed.

I was leading both women on. I was giving Tasha false hope and Rose unnecessary pain. I had not been raised a coward. It was time to accept my feelings and do the right thing. I was an honourable man, and right now that meant I had to break one woman's heart even though I may never be with the one I truly love with all my heart.

As soon as we entered her room she sighed sadly. "It's a no, isn't it?"
I nodded. "You're a brilliant woman, Tasha, and an excellent friend..."
"It's just not enough, not anymore."
"No, it's not. I wish it was, I wish it wasn't this way."
"But it is and we both have to accept that. You have to make peace with that, Dimitri."
"I'm not sure I know how to," I admitted as I sat on the couch.
Tasha surprised me by laughing. "See, I think you actually do know, Dimka." She sat next to me and took one of my hands with hers. If only it wasn't so illegal to have even this small contact with Rose! Tasha's blue eyes pierced mine. "You do know. You need to make peace with her, Dimitri. Then you need to try, just try to give her a chance." She took a steadying breath. "I'm as willing as her to let you go no matter the pain it causes me, because I want you happy. And you haven't been happy recently because you're fighting with her. I see the way you look at her, Dimka, I hear the way you talk about her."
"But I'll never have her, Tasha. It's not fair on her to pretend that I ever could."
"You're so dense sometimes, Dimitri. Where there's a will there's a way. I promise you, if you want her enough you'll find a way. Just be careful in the meantime. I don't want you jailed because fate screwed up timing. Okay? I'll be happy if you are. Just promise me to be careful with her. Or else I might just steal her from both you and Lissa."
"You wouldn't!" I whispered yelled.
Her eyes twinkled playfully. "I would. If you're not careful I might just get her assigned to me. Then we'd get along extremely well. If I can't have you, then I can get the next best guardian if I want- your little protégé."
I sighed and shook my head. "You're as much of a worry as she is," I teased.