Collateral Damage

- THIRTY SIX -

2 WEEKS LATER

Rose's POV

I stared blankly at his coffin. There was no real emotion running through me. I just wanted everything to go back to the way it was, before I met Dimitri, before Lissa and I had ran away from the academy when we were teenagers.

I long for the days when waking up wasn't a chore and death wasn't an everyday occurrence.

Once the funeral was over and Scott was put in the ground, Dimitri and I went back to Louise's house where I threw some things into a bag and packed the essentials. Scott's mother stopped in to collect his things though I refused to part with his jewellery, cologne and the photos.

I stood at the front door saying goodbye to the people that I have called my family for the majority of my life. After reassuring little Kane that I would come back to play with him, Dimitri and I left.

We have barely said much to each other since our exchange of words at the hospital and I think that's a good thing. I haven't been alone since the night I read the letter and I think that idea is linked directly to Dimitri.

I never thought that I would be returning to the academy, let alone twice in 3 months. I also didn't think that my daughter would ever be kidnapped. I didn't think that I would come face-to-face with Dimitri, or the fact that Scott, the man of my dreams would kill himself to save me. I never thought that he would tell me to follow my heart and get back with the one who broke it in the first place. I miss the times when things were easy.

The trip back to the academy was basically silent, I didn't know what to say to Dimitri and I think that he feels exactly the same way.

Dimitri was the one to break the silence, "Do you need a hand with your bags?" he said as we pulled into the driveway near the teachers block of apartments.

"No I should be okay carrying them up to Adrian's, thanks though," I replied, taking off my seatbelt.

Dimitri was silent for a quick second before saying, "Oh, I forgot to tell you. You aren't staying with Adrian anymore, I spoke to Lissa and we both agreed that it might be best if you had your own living quarters."

"Oh, okay," I said, reaching for the door handle.

"I'll show you to your room."

Dimitri helped me gather my bags and lead the way to my 'apartment' or rather the place I will be staying. I have no idea what I am going to do now. I mean I am back where I promised myself I would never be and now I am being given a permanent living space. I don't know what's going on but I know that I probably won't like it.

Dimitri placed my bags on the floor in the middle of the living room as I looked around. "I'll leave you too it then," he said. I thanked him as I watched him leave.

I looked around the apartment. It was 1 bedroom with 1 bathroom, study, kitchen and dining, laundry and a living room. I felt like the queen. All of the rooms were furnished all I had to do was empty my belongings into the cupboards which wasn't that hard.

Once I was done I made my way outside. It was daylight outside signalling the fact that everyone would be asleep in bed, resting up for the next school day.

I sat at one of the picnic tables and rested my head on my arms. Someone seated themselves beside me. I immediately knew it to be Dimitri, "God, can I just have one day to myself Dimitri?" I looked up to be met with green eyes and blonde hair.

Lissa wrapped her arms around me and engulfed me in a hug. "How are you?" she eventually asked after our embrace.

"I'm okay, how are you? And Adrian? And Matilda? Well everyone?" I rushed out hopefully changing the subject.

"I'm good, Adrian is surprised you're back, Tilly is a little shocked about the whole you and Dimitri being her parents' thing, Christian and the kids are good. Everything is good."

"That's good," I replied.

"I don't want to pry, but how are you really doing," I gave her a confused look, "You forget that I have known you since we used to spell our names wrong so you can't say that you're good when I know you're clearly lying."

"God I missed you," I smiled trying to steer the subject away from me.

"I missed you too, now spill." She replied, my wishes not being answered.

"I don't know Liss, I don't think it had really sunken in yet. I don't know how to feel. I'm just empty all of the time. I keep waiting for all of it to suddenly hit me but it just hasn't. I don't know what is wrong with me."

"Sometimes after sad life changing events occur in our lives, we tend to lock the feelings away, as if it's our minds trying to protect us from our own self."

"So what you're saying is that I don't feel sad or upset about Scott's death because my brain is pretty much cock-blocking my emotions?"

She laughed, "You could put it like that."