Collateral Damage

- TEN -

It wasn't long before I found Abe and Scott sitting at a table in the cafeteria. "What are you's talking about?" I placed my hands on Scott's shoulders and looked down at my father.

"Oh, nothing," he said standing from his seat. He began walking towards the door, he stopped and placed a kiss to my cheek, "You've got a good one their Rose," he whispered into my ear before wandering off out the door. That was weird.

I leaned down and kissed Scott on the back of the head. "What are we going to do about Matilda?" he asked suddenly and for a second I had forgotten all about her. I was so caught up in the drama that is St Vladamir's Academy, I had forgotten about the reason why I was back.

"I wish I knew," I replied sitting in the seat that was minutes ago, occupied by my father.

"Your father told me that there was going to be a meeting between all of the head guardian's tomorrow night, to discuss possible leads and the most appropriate cause of action," he said. My heart started to race and Scott assured me that he hadn't said a word about Matilda, "He also told me to tell you that you should be there if you want to get involved with the investigation."

"What time?"

"About midnight." He replied. Our table was silent for a second before Scott said, "I have to be back at work next week."

"What?" I asked. He looked at me and took my hands in his. The warmth from his hands seemed to warm every inch of my body.

"I was only able to take about a week off, I have to be back in about a week." I nodded my head. There was no point in arguing with him about this. I needed him and he came, and it was inevitable that he would have to leave eventually. "I'm sorry baby."

"It's okay," I smiled. Movement by the door caught my attention. I glanced up to be me with beautify brown eyes. Before my mind could register what was happening I pulled my hands away from Scott. He looked up and me and gave me a questioning and apologetic look. Dimitri's voice rang through my head, I never stopped. He never stopped. He loves me.

I apologised to Scott and got to my feet. His voice calling my name felt like a dream as I walked out of the café. How can I do this? I have a daughter to my ex and he doesn't know about her and he still loves me and I love someone else. What am I doing? I didn't realise my hands were shaking until I wiped tears away from my eyes. Why am I crying? This is too much.

I walked inside the apartment that belonged to Adrian. I slid down the door once it was shut and let out a strangled cry. Adrian emerged from his bedroom and once his eyes met my face he walked over. He squatted in front of me and asked me a bunch of questions that I didn't understand. They just seemed like a bunch of jumbled up nonsense. All that went through my mind was that Dimitri loved me and I was going to hurt him. He was going to hate me once he found out about Matilda.

Adrian held me in his arms until my sobs turned into dried tears. He helped me stand and we walked to the couch. "What happened?" he asked. There was so much concern in his eyes and it pained me to see that.

"What am I doing Adrian?" he gave me a worried expression, "I have ruined everything, I have lied to everyone for 16 years."

"You did what you thought was right, I would have done the same thing if I was in your shoes," I know he only said that to make me feel less worthless. It didn't help.

"When everyone finds out they are going to hate me," I whispered.

"I didn't," he said, wrapping his arms tighter around me, "And after everything don't you think that I had the most reason to hate you."

I nodded my head, but he didn't understand. I had a baby and he is the only one who knows the whole story. Him and me, not even Scott knows the whole story and I don't even want to think about what he is going to say when he finds out.

"Don't torture yourself over this little dhampir," he muttered.

Adrian said something about going to get some food and left me here in this godforsaken apartment alone. I nearly jumped ten feet in the air when there was a knock at the door. I opened it to find Dimitri and I almost fainted. He looked concerned but he covered it up pretty well. The thought crossed my mind about telling him the truth but I quickly dismissed that idea. I looked at the ground knowing pretty well that my eyes were puffy from crying and lack of sleep. My hair did wonders for my appearance, and my clothes made me look homeless.

"Hey," I said, leaning against the door frame.

"Thought I'd find you hear, word got around that you and Scott were staying with the Ivashkov brat." Dimitri never spoke so bitterly about a moroi, well not that I had heard of. He always held them high up on a pedestal. It was me who was the asshole and Dimitri who was the understanding friend.

"Excuse me?" I said, "Don't talk about Adrian like that, he has been nothing but kind to me. It's not like I can say that about you." Ouch! That would have stung. But honestly I don't care. "What do you want anyway?" I nearly exclaimed.

"I saw you in the cafeteria today." He said looking into my eyes. The brown in his eyes is the same colour that I fell in love with nearly seventeen years ago. "You looked distraught and I wanted to make sure you're okay and to apologise for everything I said this morning. I shouldn't have sprung that on you when you are obviously in a relationship with Scott." There is the Dimitri I know and love... well you know what I mean.

"Dimitri, despite what you think." I began, "I have things going on in my life that aren't because of you okay." Lie. "I wasn't upset because of you, I have other stuff happening that I don't want to discuss with you." Sort of true.

He looked at me and I realized that what I said came out really bitchy and pathetic. I sound needy in a non-needy way if you get my drift. "Sorry," I finally said. It's like all we have done since I got back is fight and then apologise. It's doing my head in. "I just have a lot on my plate, thank you for stopping by but really, I'm fine." The look he gave me told me that he knew I was full of shit but right now I didn't give a damn.

He nodded his head and said his goodbyes before walking away.

Before long Adrian had arrived back with two pizzas and my boyfriend. Scott wrapped his arms around me when he walked in and profusely admitted his love for me until the end of the night.