Chapter One

Author's Note: The following story is an *AU* For the purposes of this fanfic neither Sydney and Adrian nor Jill and Eddie's romantic relationships have taken place.

Eddie Castile raced across the building, the bottom of his shoes slapping the concrete floor so loudly it sounded like a herd of elephants approaching. Guardians were trained to be stealth, but when Sydney concocted a fireball…resulting in half the structure being set on fire…he had a feeling Jill's captors knew the cavalry had arrived.

The sandy blonde haired Dhampir skidded around a corner and slowed his trajection when he heard a pair of voices speaking in whispered tones. He strained to hear what was being said but only caught snippets.

Princess.

Blood.

That was enough to let Eddie know he was in the right place. He had been given explicit instructions to wait for back up. Going into an unknown situation was risky, but going in alone was just plain stupid. Eddie swallowed and pressed himself flat against the wall. Ten…he'd count to ten and if no one else showed up he was going in.

One, two, three, four…

The number sequence was cut short by the sound of Jill's scream. Eddie sprang into action pouncing on the first Strigoi he came in contact with. Luckily the element of surprise was on his side and he was able to easily stake the 'awakened' creature. Unfortunately pale face's partner in crime was now aware of his presence. The creature ran towards Eddie with the force of a freight train. Despite his own superior strength Eddie stumbled backwards. Just as he gathered enough energy to fight back the Strigoi crumbled into a heap on the ground. Eddie turned around and saw Rose Hathaway and Adrian Ivashkov standing in the doorway.

Rose ran towards the Strigoi, her long hair whipping behind her, to retrieve the silver stake she had used to annihilate him while Adrian tended to the bound Dragomir princess.

Eddie's eyes scanned the room to make sure there weren't any other unwelcome guests when he felt a chill run down his spine. He turned around prepared to attack when he saw Jill standing before him. "What…" he stammered. How could she be…

"This is YOUR fault," the usual sweet and quiet Moroi snapped at him. "If you had just done what you were supposed to I wouldn't be dead!"

"Jill, I…" Eddie stammered.

"She's lost so much blood!" the black haired Moroi screamed. Eddie turned and saw Adrian holding Jill's limp body in his arms. Her neck had been slit open soaking her entire body in a thick coat of blood.

"EDDIE!" Jill yelled at him. "EDDIE EDDIE EDDIE…" she repeated.

Eddie tried to open his mouth…but nothing came out. He pushed his lips together and opened them up again… still nothing.

"Eddie…Eddie…"

The guardian blinked his hazel eyes open and found himself staring up at Alchemist extraordinaire and part time witch, Sydney Sage.

"Eddie," Sydney said softly. "Can you hear me?" Her golden eyes full of concern.

Eddie closed his eyes again before nodding his head. "Yeah, I can hear you," he croaked softly. A dream…oh thank God…he had just been dreaming. Jill was…

…dead.

Though the events in his head weren't happening at the moment they had occurred. He had gone in to rescue Jill without back up…Adrian hadn't been able to heal her. She was gone.

"Were you having a bad dream?" Sydney asked him.

"Where am I?" Eddie asked when he was finally able to focus. He definitely wasn't in his apartment. And why was Sydney there? They hadn't been close in a long time.

Sydney paused before she replied, "The hospital. You took a nasty spill…"

Eddie tried to recall the events of the past few hours. Today was his day off. The last thing he could remember was meeting up with a friend for a drink. He looked up at Sydney hoping she could fill in the blanks.

"You were…drunk and got into a fight at the bar…" Sydney revealed to him. "Your knee is messed up…and you broke your hand…"

As if her words had power Eddie felt a sharp pain in both of the aforementioned places on his body. "Shit, how am I going to work…" he said with a groan.

"That's the rest of the story…you've been suspended…" Sydney admitted.

"Suspended?" Eddie exclaimed, wincing a little. Okay, sudden movements…bad.

"Eddie," Sydney said softly. "This isn't the first time you've been in a fight…and there have been other incidents…"

Since Jill's death Eddie had been a bit reckless when it came to his work as a Court guardian. He had several warnings in his file reprimanding his act first, think later mentality.

"Fuck," he muttered and leaned back against the pillows on the hospital bed. "For how long?" he asked.

"There's going to be a hearing in two months to check on your progress," Sydney explained to him.

"My progress?" Eddie asked. "Like they need to check and make sure sitting around agreed with me?"

"It's a little more than that," Sydney said to him. "In light of your relationship with Lissa they've agreed to allow you the chance to get your drinking and your attitude under control instead of releasing you from your duties immediately."

"What does 'under control' mean?" Eddie asked her.

"It means no more drinking and you have to see a therapist," Sydney said plainly.

"No, no way!" Eddie said quickly. "I can knock off the drinking, but I am not talking to some head shrinker!"

"Eddie, you really don't have a choice," Sydney said. "If you want your position back…"

"I can handle it myself. I don't need help from anyone," Eddie spat.

Sydney took a breath and nodded. "I know your life has been…difficult to say the least, but…just think about it. About everything," she said. She placed a business card on the tray next to his bed. "That's the doctor's information. I have to get to work." She hesitated before leaning down to kiss his forehead and then exiting the room.

Therapy? What could talking possibly do to make the pain in his heart ever go away?

Eddie flipped the card over so he could call and tell this joker to fuck off. The fancy script read…

Adrian Ivashkov.

This definitely had to be a dream.