My apologies for such a prolonged absence. I was unable to access the internet very often over the Christmas break and that has continued nearly two months into the new year. SORRY! I should have regular internet access again and so hopefully you can look forward to more updates. I have a tendency to muck you around a bit, don't I? Again, sorry. Please accept this next chapter.

. . .

Dean POV

After we were dismissed from the Assembly Chamber I headed to my classes. The Specialist Sparing class was scheduled in five minutes and I wasn't going to take this trip as a holiday from training. Managing to arrive on time, I was able to spar with eight Grigori during the dedicated hour and a half. The routine of classes helped take my mind of Rose and, more importantly, my little moment on the roof. It was so easy to slip again into the classroom mentality of sharing my pointers for fighting and learning a few myself. And it felt so good to be able to spend time with other Grigori. Once training had finished I headed up to the roof for some air.

I took a deep breath as I looked out over the bustling city in an attempt to relax and clear my mind. The back of my neck heated as I felt the ghost of Rose's soft lips on mine, her thin, athletic body in my arms and her heart racing as we kissed. She was amazing. My memory flashed back to the night of her birthday; Rose dancing with me so freely, the happiest I'd seen her in a long time, wearing my dress. She kept reminding everybody of how I'd been the one to give it to her. Even catching a few of the mildly unhappy but amused glances of her father didn't put a dint in how wonderful I'd felt, if a little embarrassed. Was there a hint of knowing in his eyes too? And then there was Cameron.

I groaned, rolling my head to the sky. All the time I'd known Rose I'd loved her and then, only a month and a bit ago, in walked her excitable, artistic, boyish, grinning and logical best friend I'd never heard about with her bouncy red curls, freckly tanned skin and laughing soft brown eyes. When I'd met her at the party, my eyes had passed over her with barely a moment's hesitation but apparently my mind had not. After that night my feelings towards Rose had changed. It wasn't all that obvious at first but now I could recognise a magnetic feeling drawing me away from Rosaline. Was it her best friend? But Cam wasn't interested in me. I was better off chasing a butterfly. Or sticking with my original flame. Cameron D'Arcy wasn't for me. I was Rose's and Rose was mine. The kiss has me convinced. I took another deep breath of the dropping evening air as I promised myself silently to her. I closed my eyes but a presence by the door to my left made me turn, alert and ready for danger. It was a guy, maybe a little younger than me, with sandy blonde hair striped with gold and chocolate brown eyes. I'd never seen him before. Taking him for a fellow Grigori, I dropped my guard.

    "Hey," I greeted, "Watcha doing up here?" The youth shrugged.

    "Nothing much," he replied, his voice ringing vaguely with a foreign accent, "What about you?" I smiled and gestured out over the city with its vast array of roads and street lights.

    "It's got a good view," I explained, "Good for thinking." The blonde guy nodded silently agreeing with me as he came up beside me on my right.

    "So," I continued, "What's your name? I don't think we've ever met before. I'm Dean Nisson." Once again the guy nodded. That was it! Spanish! I swear the guy's accent was Spanish!

    "I know who you are," he stated, "I am Alec." I was more than a little confused by his answer.

    "What do you mean," I asked, "that you know who I am?" He smirked a little as if savouring his upper hand. An uncomfortable tingle ran up my spine.

    "You are friends with Rosaline Wood," Alec stated shrugging a shoulder, "And it would not surprise me if you had come up here to think about her." I nodded, averting my eyes to hide my embarrassment.

    "Yeah," I admitted as a couldn't help a whisper of a smile appearing, "I've known her for quite a while now and I think I love her. Once this whole business we're here for clears up I'm thinking of asking her if she wants to go out with me. You seem to know her. Do you think she would?" Alec considered what I'd said as he surveyed the spread of city before him. His expression was unreadable.

    "Well," he replied, drawing out the word. Suddenly I found myself snapped into the air by my throat. Damn it! No wonder he chose my right side. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

    "No," Alec spat, eyes glowing with barely contained anger, "She would not consider to choose you if she were surrounded by only rats and pond scum." His hand tightened on my throat blocking my windpipe. I fought for any breath but I noticed a tremble in his arm and the strain in his face. He was quickly tiring. With a mental smile I realised this Alec hadn't been Grigori for long and I struck out at him with my legs. Both feet caught him on the chest and his grip faltered as he tumbled backwards. Then I was on him like a lion, pinning him to the ground. Alec twisted in my grip and, realising regular methods of escape weren't going to work, resorted to something a little different; the filthy bastard sunk his teeth into my forearm. On instinct I jerked away for a moment and he pushed his advantage, driving his knees into my chest sending me stumbling onto my back. Quickly I recovered and pounced at him again. He managed to dodge me before attempting to rush me and get me in the face. I blocked his efforts but it dawned on me that this guy's fighting was seriously outdated.

Sure, he was pretty good at what he was doing after recovering from his shock at me fighting back but really? It seemed to me, Alec had been training in an abandoned monastery with some ninjas not at the Grigori Academy in New York. And the way he held himself, with uncertainty and jerky, catlike movements, as well as his lack of extra strength and speed marked him as non-Grigori. But I could tell he wasn't human. He came at me again, seeming to understand my dislike of close quarters fighting, trying to slip in under my guard. Without warning he struck out at my face and stars danced before my eyes as I stumbled.

    "Do not go near my Rosaline," I heard him growl through my haze. So that was his game. I was gonna clean his clock for that.

    "Oh no buddy," I murmured, "You are not getting my girl." I lunged blindly at my opponent and dragged him to the ground beating him as hard and as fast as I could. On the other side of the roof the door crashed open.

Rose POV

I was headed up to the roof in need some fresh air. Cam hadn't said anything since the whole mind-reading thing with the Assembly but when she'd fallen asleep I took that as my cue to take a break. She couldn't do herself any harm whilst she was sleeping. My hand touched the door handle but a thud made me hesitate. Was someone fighting? Realising that if it were the case bringing in someone might cause a lot of unnecessary trouble, I flung open the door. I can't even begin to describe my shock to find Dean frozen on top of Alec. Dean's face was a mask of rage, his eyes burning with hellish fury. And Alec lying prone beneath . . . My heart sank and turned to acid in my stomach. Blood ran steadily from his nose and numerous gashes on his face and arms, he was sodden with the scarlet fluid. I hurtled towards my injured friend pushing Dean off him with as much force as I could muster. He was unconscious but his pulse was unfaltering. The blood was already congealing. As I inspected his cuts, his eyes fluttered. Dean moved uncomfortably next to me and I felt my anger roar like a tsunami.

    "You ass!" I shrieked reeling on him, "You stupid ass! What the hell were you doing?" I shot to my feet and he cowered below me, still on his bum where I had pushed him to. "You've knocked him senseless. What did he do to deserve that? What possessed you to do something so damn ... argh! He's not even Grigori. Surely even you realised that! You could have killed him! Answer me! God damn it! Answer me, Dean!" My chest heaved as my fists were glued to my sides and I glared at him. My throat was raw from screaming and all Dean did was look up at me. So I slapped him. He didn't even flinch. Almost immediately a red mark appeared and my hand ached a little though I didn't show it.

    "Are you going to tell me?" I whispered vehemently. His eyes stared up at me scared and confused. "Get out of my sight." I turned my attention back to Alec praying that Dean would just leave quietly. To think I had feelings for someone as evil as him!

After a couple of minutes Alec's eyes fluttered open. He started when he saw me above him and attempted to sit. His face paled and I gently pushed him down again. He melted like butter under my touch.

    "Easy now," I smiled softly, "You're pretty messed up. I'd just lie there for a moment if I were you." Thankfully, he did just that. Seeing that he was okay for me to go inside for help I stood up.

    "No-one is allowed to see me," Alec said softly, "Do not take me inside." I turned around confused.

    "I am not Grigori," he explained. I nodded. He wasn't supposed to be here. "I am okay now. I will head back to my hotel and get cleaned up." He made to rise but I pushed down on his shoulders forcing him back to the ground again.

    "No you don't," I chided, "You don't want anyone to see you so you can't go through the Academy. And it's not like you can jump off the roof. You're stuck." Gently Alec shook his head. Carefully, so as not to cause his head to spin.

    "Rosaline, I can become shadow and sneak through unseen," he replied with a smile, "Or had you forgotten." I returned his grin.

    "Are you sure you're okay?" I asked sceptical, "You could stay up here a few more minutes until you're right if you need it." Alec shook his head again, his smile creeping a little more across his face.

    "It is best that I go now," he answered, "I would not want to get you into any trouble." I helped him to his feet and held onto him while he regained his balance.

    "Alec," I questioned, "Why were you and Dean fighting?" He looked me in the eye pleadingly.

    "Not now Rosaline," he deadpanned, "Do you really want to talk about that now?" I dropped my gaze focussing on the blood staining his grey shirt in a steadily growing bloom. He needed to pay some attention to that soon. My eyes dropped to my feet.

    "Yes," I whispered, "Why don't you?" But he'd already disappeared.

. . .

Soooo? Good enough for you? Hope I will make it up to you in the future! And poor Dean!!! He was finally getting someplace with Rose and now... Gotta feel sorry for a guy like that. Don't forget to tell me what you're thinking and who you want Rose to end up with. After the next chapter I am going to post a page for you to vote on. Voting will be open for a time to be confirmed but I will update still during that time. Until then.

    ~SpanishFox