Never Too Late: A VA Fanfiction

Chapter Four

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy, the amazing Richelle Mead does. Enjoy!!

DPOV:

“Welcome to Hathaway Hell,” she smirked.

I couldn't help the shudder that went down my back at the look on her face. It was confident and cocky, and oh, was it sexy! It clearly said that she knew what she was doing and wasn't going to take shit from anybody else. On any other girl it would have looked arrogant and ridiculous, but Rose...Rose clearly knew what she was talking about.

“Guardian Belikov, to mentor Rose I’m going to have to set down some guidelines,” Petrov pulled me from my thoughts once again.

“Guidelines?” I echoed. “I thought I was going to have free reign on the training sessions?”

Petrov nodded. “Yes, you will, but due to recent events, there are some things Rose will not be able to do. One being,” here she hesitated, glancing at Rose.

Rose sighed and rolled her eyes. She cleared her throat, looking vaguely uneasy. “Well, um, I kinda, well, I don't really feel.....at ease....with men at this very moment in time.” She pressed her lips together and swallowed. “So if you could do me a favor and keep a distance of, oh, say, 10 feet? That'd be great.”

I was astonished. 10 feet? How was I supposed to teach her anything at that distance. I would have to almost shout to simply be heard! And why 10 feet? Why was she uneasy around men? Unless...no, that can't be why. I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

“Then how do you propose I train you?” I asked, feeling slightly frustrated.

Rose looked away, but not before I caught a glimpse of her face. She looked upset, and ashamed? I was even more lost. Her shoulders slumped a bit, and I felt bad.

“I'm -” I began, regretting my callous words, but she cut me off.

“Don't,” she snapped, spinning around to face me, her eyes on fire. “If I’m too much trouble and work for you to mentor me, then don't. Wouldn't want to inconvenience you,” she said sarcastically.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Didn't she want to graduate and become the Princess's guardian? Didn't she want to know how to defend herself and her child?

RPOV: (I know I’m changing povs a lot, but you need to know whats going on in both of their heads)

God, I hated this. I didn't want to have to say it, but Alberta had that look on her face like she wasn't sure what to say, so I had to take over. I cleared my throat, feeling uneasy about how I was going to say this. I knew the reaction I was going to get; first would be the outrage: I can't train her like that! Then, then came the pity.

I cleared my throat, and stammered out, “Well, um, I kinda, well, I don't really feel.....at ease....with men at this very moment in time.” I pressed my lips as I prepared myself for his reaction the next thing I’m going to say. “So if you could do me a favor and keep a distance of, oh, say, 10 feet? That's be great.”

As I expected, he looked astonished, and frustrated. “Then how do you propose I train you?” he practically snapped.

I felt my mood crashing again. I hated how pathetic and weak I was. I wanted to be strong and fierce, able to get trained to be a total badass. All I knew is, I was a defenseless little girl who couldn't be trained to be a badass because I was too scared. I felt my shoulders slump slightly. His reaction hurt more than others, and I didn't know why.

“I'm -” Dimitri began, and I could hear the pity in his voice. There was no way I was going to let him feel pity for me.

I spun around, furious. “Don't!” I snapped, suddenly very pissed off. “If I’m too much trouble and work for you to mentor me, then don't. Wouldn't want to inconvenience you,” I said so sarcastically that the words almost hurt coming out of my mouth.

He looked taken aback. I breathed heavily after my outburst. Damn, these mood swings were giving me whiplash. I hadn't actually meant the part about not training me, because I really, really, really wanted to be trained so that I can graduate, and defend my baby. I hoped that I didn't damage things too badly to repair them.

He continued looking at me silently for several moments, then sighed. “Umm, well, I guess that I could give you instructions, and demonstrate on the dummies....” he trailed off, looking uncertain.

I breathed a sigh of relief. I hadn't ruined everything. Quickly, I nodded. “Yeah, that would work, and if I’m around you every day, twice a day, for an hour each time I'll probably get used to you and you could get closer, and stuff.” I replied eagerly, feeling my face light up.

DPOV:

I didn't understand how she could go from sad, to mad, to hyper, all within 5 minutes. Then I remembered that she was pregnant. Great. I thought sarcastically.

I nodded, trying to get back on the subject at hand. “Okay, is there anything else I need to know?”

Rose thought for a moment, then shook her head. “No, you're good.”

I nodded again. “Okay then, why don't we proceed with our lesson....in the gym?”

Rose nodded, and stood up. She turned to look at Alberta. “Thanks, Bertie,” she said, gratitude warming her voice.

Petrov smiled at Rose. “Go on with your lesson, you've wasted enough time,” she said affectionately.

I walked out of the room, Rose following me at a distance. As I walked toward the gym, I thought about how I was going to train her.

“How far along are you?” I called back to her.

“Hmm? Oh,” she looked up, startled. “Um, about 2 months,” she answered.

I considered that. Two months. That gave me about 3 months to teach her major stuff, because once she reached 5 months she wouldn't be able to do much in the way of fighting. I grimaced. This was complicated.

“You're going the wrong way!” Rose's voice made me jump.

“Huh?” I stopped and turned around, looking at her confused.

She smiled slightly. “You're going to the right; the gym is to the left.”

“Oh,” I smiled sheepishly, realizing she was right. “Sorry.”

She giggled, and walked towards me. “How bout I lead?” She asked as she passed by me within 5 feet. Something told me that it was the closest she had been to a man willingly.

“Sure,” I smiled at her. Her answering smile was brilliant. It took my breath away. It lit up her whole face, making it glow like an angel's.

I followed her at a distance that was slightly less than 10 feet. Maybe 6 feet, or so, far enough away that she felt comfortable.

She reached the gym, quickly going in. I followed right behind her. As I walked in, I slammed into a warm body, knocking them off their feet. Automatically, I grabbed their shoulders to keep from falling. At that moment, I realized that I held Rose in my arms.

For a second, it seemed like time slowed down as my brain caught up with my actions. Rose looked stunned, like she didn't know what was happening, and then she did....