A/N: THIS IS IT... THE FINAL CHAPTER. I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED THIS STORY- ALL THOSE WHO HAVE READ, STORY ALERTED, STORY FAVOURITED AND MOST ESPECIALLY REVIEWED. YOU GUYS ARE THE REASON I WRITE AND I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH.
SO, TO THE REVIEWERS OF THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER, AOD4L, MISSHATHAWAY, TWILIGHTERNPROUD, KITTENXXKISSES, SARAH, XXDEADLYBLACKROSEXX, LOVENTHERUSSIAN17 AND ROSEANDDMIMITRI, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. YOUR SUPPORT HAS HELPED ME FINISH THIS. I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH
Disclaimer: I can honestly say I don't own Vampire Academy. If I did, I would so have Dimitri fall in love with me.
Chapter Thirty Closure
RPOV
I sat on the picnic blanket surrounded by my friends, both old and new, Lissa, Christian, Eddie, Mia, Jill, Lisa, Violet and, of course, Dimitri. A hush fell over us all as Lissa cleared her throat loudly- a Queenly habit she'd picked up.
"It's time to get to what this dinner is really about- Rose," Lissa said, smiling at me, "On this night, twelve months ago, you lost something that meant everything to you. But you didn't stop fighting... and you've come out the other side, stronger than ever."
I didn't point out that I had stopped fighting at one point.
"So... this is for you Rose," Lissa raised her champagne glass.
Everyone (excluding Lisa and Jill who were still too young to drink) raised their glasses.
"To Rose," Lissa said.
They repeated and then everyone took a sip of their drink.
"Thank you guys," I smiled, "I couldn't have done it without you."
Dimitri pulled me closer to him, his fingers brushing my bare lower back and the tattoo I'd recently gotten. It was a small wheelchair placed on the exact place my spine had broken, as a reminder of how easily things could be lost... a good reminder, unlike the scars I refused to let Lissa heal.
"You deserve the credit Rose," he whispered in my ear.
"So do you... you put up with all of this," I replied just as softly.
"You're worth it," he kissed my head.
I smiled and turned back to the conversation.
"... don't see the point of going back to school," Christian was saying.
I knew immediately that they were talking about Lissa (and I) going back to Lehigh next week.
"That's only because you'd flunk out within the first five minutes!" I teased.
Everyone besides Christian laughed at that.
"I'd last five minutes longer than you, Rosie," he shot back.
I laughed at that, "Touché Sparky."
"Well, isn't this nice?" a chilling voice said behind me.
I stood up and spun on my heel to see Strigoi standing on the edge of the wards. There were two... and one I knew very well.
"Eli," Dimitri said, his tone dark and angry.
"You remember me, do you brother?" Eli smirked.
I looked over my shoulder. Christian and Mia had Lissa, Lisa and Jill behind them, in case things went bad. Jill could fight, but as the Dragomir princess needed protection. I couldn't see Eddie, but I soon realised he was on my other side.
Knowing that Lissa was safe and didn't need my protection allowed me to focus back on Eli. Rage filled me and I saw red. I moved to lunge at Eli, but arms wrapped around my waist and grabbed my arm. Dimitri and Eddie.
"Rosemarie Hathaway... you're looking well. I thought I'd paralysed you, but I suppose not. I'll be sure to fix that," Eli sneered.
"Spirit will heal her," Lissa's voice rang out clearly from behind Christian.
"Her Majesty, Queen Vasilisa, I presume," Eli looked over my shoulder and bowed, "A pleasure."
His sarcasm was obvious to all.
"Don't talk to her. You're scum," I yelled, "You destroyed me! Do you know what I went through to get back to where I was... to where I am now? It took long hours every day for months! You did this!"
I held up my left wrist so he could see the scars.
"I broke the tough Rose Hathaway?" Eli smirked, "That's two points I believe."
I snapped and suddenly I wasn't in control of my actions anymore.
"Let me go," I hissed, struggling to get to Eli.
"We'll go for the other one. Go for Eli, Rose," Dimitri whispered.
Eddie gave an infinitesimal nod to show he understood. In one smooth movement, they let me go and we charged for the Strigoi. Dimitri and Eddie stuck to the plan and left Eli to me. Full of rage, I pulled my stake out and swung it forward, getting Eli's cheek.
"Is that the best you got?" he taunted, lunging at me and pinning me to the ground.
I struggled, but his weight and strength outmatched mine.
"Game over, little girl," Eli leaned closer to my neck.
I refused to cower as he leaned in, baring his fangs. I refused to be weak. Suddenly, Eli's arms caught fire. He leapt off of me in alarm and began swatting at the fire.
"Thanks Christian," I yelled, leaping up and sending a kick to Eli's stomach.
My rage was back, fuelled with more fire than before. He fell to the ground and I wasted no time in stabbing my stake in both of his legs.
"That's for snapping my spine," I spat.
I swiped my stake across his cheek, "That's for the suicide attempt I had."
Christian had stopped the fire now and Eli was in too much pain to move.
"That's for the months I spent in the Rehab Centre," I stabbed one charred arm.
"That's for the hours I put in training... the sprained ankles and the fatigue," I stabbed the other arm.
Finally, I positioned my stake above his heart, "This is for me."
I plunged my stake into his heart and sat back to watch Eli's final moments. As he took his final breath, I felt arms wrap around my waist. The rage I felt faded, leaving nothing but emptiness in it's place.
"It's over, Rose," Dimitri whispered in my ear.
I felt myself tremble in his arms as tears fell down my cheeks.
"It's over," I whispered to myself, "It's all over."
Somehow, we ended up back over the wards. We huddled together in silence as we watched the sun come up, and the Strigoi bodies caught fire instantly.
"It's over," I whispered again.
As I watched Eli's body burn, I felt a burden being lifted off of my shoulders. I had closed this chapter and was starting again. I had closure and it felt good.
A/N: AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I'M PLANNING ON POSTING A FEW MORE ONE SHOTS AND SOME OTHER STORIES THAT ARE NOT JUST FOR VAMPIRE ACADEMY. THANKS AGAIN