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She didn’t want to get pulled in, but she couldn’t stop it from happening. It was Lissa, she was in trouble. All of St. Glad’s was in trouble. Chaos unfolded before her eyes and she couldn’t help the gasp that escaped upon seeing the hoard of strigois.
“Mason turn around.” It came out weak and shaky, which had Mason confused. When he didn’t immediately turn the car around, Rose yelled, “fuck, we have to go back. Strigoi are attacking the school. Go, now, go.”
Mason sharply veered the car around, stomping on the gas. “How do you know? What’s going on?”
He never watched Rose quite like Dimitri did, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. It didn’t make Mason a bad choice, he just wasn’t the right choice.
“It doesn’t matter we have to get back. Fuck!” She slammed her hand against the dashboard. “I don’t even know what we were thinking, being so stupid.” If anything happened to Lissa, or Dimitri, Rose would never be able to forgive herself. She wanted a life that was her own, but not at the expense of the two people she loved most in the world.
Neither one of them said anything on the way back, afraid of what the other was thinking.
As soon as St. Vladimir’s came into view, they both all but catapulted out of the car, Mason barely putting the car into park.
“We gotta find Lissa first.” Rose’s first thought was of Dimitri, but he was okay, he had to be, he could defend himself. Lissa had to come first right now.
Mason nodded, following after Rose immediately. They took out strigoi together, working side by side, but not in sync. It wasn’t like before, she didn’t falter or hesitate, blocking out all of her thoughts. She had to get to Lissa.
It was like all the blood came rushing back to her when she saw familiar chestnut hair in the distance. In a crowded room, she would always be able to feel Lissa instantly. She didn’t even spare a glance to see if Mason was following her, she trusted he would. Rose took off running as soon as she saw Lissa.
“Lissa,” her voice sounded raw, heavy with emotions. Once she had her in her arms, she couldn’t let her go. She could never leave her again. “I’m so fucking sorry.”
Lissa trembled, “it isn’t your fault, Rose.”
“If I we’re here though-“
“You are now.” They stayed in the embrace for a few beats before Lissa pulled back, distress on her beautiful face. “I don’t know where Christian is. It all happened so quick, Rose. It’s like they were planning this for months.”
Nausea rolled around Rose’s stomach, glancing at Mason’s panic stricken face. They had a feeling that was exactly what the strigoi were doing.
Her nausea subsided and rage was left underneath, “why the hell are you out here alone? They left you unprotected?”
“As soon as the sound went off I ran. I have to find Christian. I-“ her voice crackled.
Rose wanted to be upset, but she understood. “Have you seen Dimitri? I know he isn’t your guardian at the moment, but he’d never leave you unprotected.” It didn’t make any sense to Rose until she saw Lissa’s face.
“You don’t know?” Lissa was stunned as Rose shook her head, but the look on Mason’s face was even more surprising. “Dimitri’s been accused of high treason. He was arrested and placed in the dungeons right before the attack happened.”
Rose almost doubled over in shock, her breathing coming in waves. Small, then large, cresting over. She did a double take in Mason’s direction when she caught the look on his face. It was almost like he wasn’t surprised. Rose’s shock transformed into anger, jaw clenched and eyes like coal.
She grabbed Mason’s arm, fury freckling her face, “you knew. You knew and you fucking said nothing. You let me leave-“
“Dimitri asked me not to.” He wasn’t backing down, as much as he wanted to shrink under Rose’s violent wrath.
“Bullshit.”
“He did. He said,” Mason huffed, “he said if you knew, you wouldn’t leave and that you deserved to be happy.”
“You’re damn right I wouldn’t, this is all my fault. I’m the one who let Sasha go. I’m the reason he’s in this mess. I couldn’t let him ruin his career for something I did.” She was bound to find out eventually, and how could he think she’d ever be happy knowing that she caused all this.
Mason just scoffed, humorless laughter escaping. “Yeah that’s the reason. To protect his career. Come on, Rose. At least have the decency not to lie to me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but we don’t have time for this, Mason. I have to get him out, the place is a shit show. Whether you like him or not, you know he’s a good guardian.” She shook off all the bad vibes Mason was putting out.
Rose spiraled further and further, Lissa could see her aura changing before her eyes. She nudged Rose, “go find him.”
She adamantly shook her head, she was looking everywhere but at Lissa. “I’m not gonna leave you again, Liss.”
Trying to find the best possible escapes for them. When she spotted Eddie in the distance, she felt an ache in her chest. She hasn’t realized how much she would’ve missed him if she had stayed gone.
“I have Mason, he can go with me to find Christian. I get it, Rose.” She nodded, doe eyes pleading with Rose to for once do something for herself. Lissa didn’t want to be separated from Rose, but she knew she had to go to him. It’s the same reason Lissa had to find Christian.
“Take Eddie with you to find Christian,” she snapped, feeling some regret seep inside. She didn’t want to be mad at Mason, but she was. “Keep her safe until I get back.” Rose swallowed heavily, melancholic smile grazing her face as she looked at Lissa once more. They nodded in understanding towards each other.
Mason, however, ignored her demand, skipping over it. He knew it wasn’t the time or the place, but it had all been brewing up inside and he couldn’t stop it bubbling over. “You’re in love with him Rose.”
It wasn’t a question, not like when Tatiana asked Dimitri the very same thing, because Mason knew. Everyone knew.
He knew the first time he saw them together. The way they fit so perfectly together when dancing. The way she softened his edges and he made her focused and driven. They way they just made each other better versions of themselves.
He knew when Meredith told him off earlier too, he just wanted to delude himself a little longer into thinking Rose could be his. Maybe in another life she could, but her soul and her heart had already chosen Dimitri, and it wasn’t one sided. Mason knew that when he went to Dimitri earlier.
Rose inhaled deeply, giving Mason a shamed expression when she nodded. “Yeah, I do. And right now we need him. I need him. I’m so sorry, Mason.”
She wanted to stay, to tell Mason all the ways she loved him, too. Not the “in love” kind of feelings, but all the ways in which he was special and made Rose feel special, too. She wanted to be in love with Mason, it would be a hell of a lot easier. She wanted to tell him that and mean it. But she couldn’t do that right now, or ever if she was being honest with herself.
Her heart thumped with every boot pounding against the concrete floors as she ran to the dungeons. Her breath smashed against her chest when she saw him behind the glass, looking alert and terrified.
His eyes widened, “Roza. What’s going on out there? What are you-“
“I’m so pissed at you for not telling me, but we don’t have time.”
He nodded, understanding that after all this was over, he’d be in for the ass whooping of his life. “There’s a passcode you type in over to the right. Lissa-“
He really was an outstanding guardian, always thinking of his charge first. Even when he wasn’t technically her guardian anymore. Even when that very system in place caused him to end up down in the dungeons. Rose admired that about him. He was unwavering in his loyalty and duty, except when it came to Rose. He would torch the earth if it meant keeping her safe.
Rose waved him off, “she’s taken care of, Mason is guarding her.”
Rose followed his directions until the door opened and he was released. As soon as he was out, his arms encircled her and held on. The hug didn’t last long, and Rose was about to protest when he pulled away, but his hands cupped her face and crashed their lips together.
She was shocked, but it didn’t take long for her lips to move against his, pouring all the things she wanted to say into the kiss, grabbing onto his jacket with white knuckles. She didn’t know how much she needed this until she melted into his embrace.
When she pulled back, they were both panting. Dimitri couldn’t stop looking at her, like he didn’t think he’d be seeing her again, especially not so soon. He looked like he wanted to say so many things.
Rose simply shook her head, “I know.” She gave him one last kiss, “later, Comrade.”