DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING BUT THE PLOT LINE...AND ANY OTHER CHARACTERS I MAY OR MAY NOT INVENT.

Chapter 1

She slapped me and I snapped out of it. I stopped struggling frantically. I kicked her in the stomach and made a break. I ran straight into the caves. I pulled the blond Strigoi off of Dimitri and staked it before he knew it was coming.

I looked at Dimitri, high and bleeding on the floor, and turned and started fighting the other Strigoi. I heard Mom, Alberta, and Stan join me; the others had all left to go back to the school. I pulled one female off my mom and staked her quickly.

I absorbed the darkness from Lissa without realising it, and before I knew it, there were no more Strigoi there to fight. I took one look at Dimitri and the darkness faded almost immediately. I kneeled beside him.

I brushed the stray hairs off his face and he opened his eyes to look at me. They had that same glazed look Eddie's had back in Spokane. I felt tears roll down my face.

"Roza," he whispered. He seemed in so much pain; my heart broke at the sound of his broken whisper.

"I'm here," I reassured him, "but we have to go; it's nearly dark and more might be coming." I had no nausea, but it was better to be safe than sorry, right now.

He lifted a hand to my cheek. I felt the others stares on my back, but I ignored them. He wiped away the tears. "I love you." He said.

"I know. Can you walk?"

"Why can't we stay here?" he asked, putting his hands on my waist, trying to pull me down next to him. I then noticed the bleeding gash on the right side of his neck; the bastard had nearly ripped his throat out.

"It's not safe." I pulled his hands from my waist. I stood up, pulling him with me. He wobbled and leaned on me for support. I put my arm around his waist. I felt someone else come and support him from the other side. I looked over to see Alberta smiling at me; god only knows what that's about.

We started walking—more like a drag on mine and Alberta's parts—and eventually made it to school. I tried to keep Dimitri talking as we walked, but I could tell it caused him pain, so I gave up about half way; as long as he kept shuffling, he was alive, so I concentrated on that.

We got to the med center and Dr Olendski took us straight to a room. I went straight to Lissa after that. She was in her room, recovering from her long day's work healing in the med clinic.

"Rose!" she yelled, seeing me. She wrapped me in the biggest hug I think I've ever received, but I couldn't be happy right now. I pulled from her embrace.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, you're happy to see me, yada, yada, yada." I said dragging her back towards the med clinic. "You need to help Dimitri. He's hurt. Like majorly." Tears began to roll down my face again. "Please, Liss. I know you've been healing all day, but would you just do this one thing? He might die if you don't." She still looked unsure; I dropped to my knees, and the tears began again. "Please. Just do this one thing for me."

Realisation flashed through the bond. It all made sense to her now—the way we acted around each other, comments we'd made, why I was so jealous when Tasha was there.

"Oh, Rose." She whispered.

"Please."

"Okay, but I don't know if I have the strength to heal him completely if he's just barely hanging on like you say. I'll heal him enough so he's not in any danger; I'll do the rest tomorrow."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I jumped up, wrapping my arms around her neck. I kissed her cheek. "Love you, Liss."

"Come on." She grabbed my hand. "Lead the way."

Sorry it's short; it's only supposed to be an alternative to the chapter in Shadow Kiss. There will be another chapter up tomorrow. Promise!