Never Too Late: A VA Fanfiction

Chapter Nine

Disclaimer: I don’t own Vampire Academy, Richelle Mead does.

DPOV:

After I ate dinner, I decided to call Ivan up. Even though it had only been two days since we talked, I missed him. He was one of my only close friends. We’d met in senior year, and hit it off instantly. We became great friends, not like Lissa and Rose appeared to be, but we were close.

I lay in bed as I dialed the familiar phone number. While waiting for him to answer the phone, I pondered what I would say. I didn't get the chance to think too much because he answered the phone.

“Hello?”

“Ivan! Hey!” I exclaimed, a smile breaking over my face.

“Dimitri! Hey, man!” I could hear the smile in his voice. “What's been going on? I miss you. Hathaway is like a frigging machine! I can't do anything fun with her around.”

I laughed as he complained. “Better get used to it, cause I’m not coming back for a long, long time, if ever.”

That sobered him up. “Don't say that man. What am I going to do without my favorite guardian? Besides, why would you want to stay? I mean, I get it, she's the Dragomir princess, but she'll get better guardians. Guard her for a couple of years, then come back to me. Or even come back once her other guardian, Rose was it? Yeah, Rose, is back on her feet and able to guard her.” He spoke fast, trying to convince me.

“I don't know man, I really think it's going to take a while. And Rose...well, Rose needs lots of help. I can't just up and leave, and I’m pretty sure that's going to be true for a long time...” I trailed off, thinking of Rose.

“Yeah, isn't she preggers? Jeez, Dimka, just cause the slut couldn't keep her legs closed doesn't mean you have to be her guardian and savior. She brought it on herself, don't – ”

I cut him off. “Don't talk about Rose like that!” I hissed. I knew that what he said wasn't true. She was clearly raped, she had said so, maybe not in so many words, but it was obvious. I wanted to find the bastard and –

I clenched my teeth together, not able to finish the thought for fear of losing my control and hurting something, or someone.

“Wow, dude, what happened to you? She giving you favors? Cause if that's the case, I want a turn. I heard she's really hot!”

He was making me sick. Ivan was mostly not like other Royals; then there were times like this when he not only became a douche bag, but a Royal douche bag at that.

I gritted my teeth together. “You know nothing about her, Ivan, so please stop talking like you do.”

He snorted. “Right, cause you know so much about her. You've known her for what, a day? Maybe two? Hardly long enough to say you know her too.”

I shook my head, knowing he couldn't see me. “I'm not claiming I know her, Ivan, but I can say I know her better than you do. Whatever you've heard, it isn't true. You didn't see her....” I trailed off again, shaking my head sadly as I remembered her break down this morning. Was it only this morning? It seemed so much longer...

Ivan sighed. “You're right, I don't know her, but you don't either. Don't be so fast to call her innocent. You don't know much about her.”

For some reason, that really irritated me. Yes, I’d only known her for a day. Yes, most of what I know about her was from other people. Yes, Ivan was totally right, I really didn't know her. But something told me there was more to her than appeared.

“You, once again, don't know her either, so don't judge her.” My tone was final.

Ivan sighed. “Whatever, man. I’m not gonna argue with you. So what else is happening?”

The rest of our conversation continued on normally, with not much mention of Rose. But towards the end of the phone call, he asked about her again, not seeming to be able to stop himself.

“So, what's it like? Teaching a pregnant girl?” he asked, genuine curiosity in his voice.

I sighed, but the sound was slightly happier than the last time. “Well, she's a fast learner, that's for sure. She already knows so much. She picks things up really fast. It would help if we could actually fight, hand to hand, but despite that, she's amazing,” I said, hearing the wonder in my own voice.

“Dude, it's been one day,” Ivan reminded me. “And what do you mean by if you could fight hand to hand? Isn't that how you're teaching her? What other way is there, through dummies?” he snickered at the end.

“Yes,” I said, dead serious.

“I – what? Seriously? You teach her by using dummies? Why the hell not actually hit her? Cause she's pregnant?”

I shook my head, but realized he couldn't see me. “No, it –” I hesitated. Would I be breaking her trust if I told Ivan about her rape? Maybe he could help me find who did it; he was at Court after all. And I knew if I asked, he'd keep it a secret...

“No, it's cause she's...I don't know, afraid, I guess? She's uncomfortable around guys, like panic attack, freak out, pass out, screaming, tears, kind of panic attack.” I grimaced. “Trust me, I saw one. It's bad.”

“Why?” Ivan sounded confused.

I sighed. “Can you keep your mouth shut about it? Like, tell no one, ever? Not even a whisper?”

“Uh – huh, I can totally do that. You know I can keep my mouth shut!” he said eagerly.

I took a deep breath. “She – she got raped, by her mother's old charge.”

Silence followed my statement, and I had the feeling that Ivan was feeling terrible (haha Ivan the Terrible...no? Nvm...) about saying all those things about her earlier.

“Oh, man,” he breathed finally. “I'm so sorry! I – I didn't mean to be such a dick earlier,” he said, confirming my thoughts.

I sighed, again. What was with me and sighing today? “It's alright, man, you didn't know. Hell, I didn't know till this morning either. Hey, can you do me a favor?” I asked.

“Sure, what?”

“Could you – actually, do you know who was Janine's last charge?”

“Yeah, some Ivashkov, I don't know who, though. I know he was younger though. And a player, but aren't all Ivashkovs?” He gave a little chuckle.

I ran a hand through my hair. That didn't really help. Well, it did, but not by much. At least I had it narrowed down to one family, although it was the biggest Royal family in the world...

“Can you try to find out who it is exactly?” I asked.

“Sure, no problem,” Ivan replied. I heard sound in the background. “Hey, man I gotta go. Talk to you later?”

“Yeah, bye. Be safe,” I warned him. “I don't want the next I see you to be at your funeral.”

Ivan laughed. “Something tells me you'll be going to Hathaway's funeral before mine.”

I growled slightly under my breath. “Don't joke about that kind of stuff, dude. I’m teaching her daughter; I’d rather not be the one to tell her that her mother is dead.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Ivan said quietly. We were both silent for a moment, then he said, “Anyway, bye.”

“Yeah, bye.” We hung up at the same time.

 I lay on my bed, thinking for a while, before deciding it was time to go to bed. It had been a long day. I changed into my pajamas, which consisted of a pair of striped thermal pj pants, and nothing else. I crawled into bed after setting my alarm for the morning, and fell asleep almost instantly.