MCA #4 | Tuesday Night Post-Radio

[guardian_god]

Protecting Rose was on the forefront of Dimitri's mind as he packed and mentally prepared himself for the trial to come. He knew their relationship was complicated and that at the end of the day, it was his fault there was anything between them. He was supposed to have been the adult here, the one who always said no, who always shut her down and

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[guardianborn]

Nearly bouncing the entire way, Rose had run over from the radio station once she'd signed off and let herself into Dimitri's apartment. She was trying to be quiet once she got in the apartment, not wanting to wake up Shelley, and she headed quickly to Dimitri's room.

"Hey," she said, knocking softly then pushing the door open. "Look! Look what I just got!"

[guardian_god]

Dimitri had not actually guessed that Rose's exclamations at the end of radio would lead her to his room, so he'd turned off the lights with the intention of sleeping. Now he was sitting up, blinking at her desire for him to look at something. "Do I dare guess?" After her jokes, he was tempted to guess very poorly.

[guardianborn]

"I dunno, do you?" she laughed, shutting the door behind her and then bouncing over to end up next to him on the bed. "You look totally hot like that."

You know, just in case he was wondering.

[guardian_god]

"Like sleeping?" Dimitri asked and immediately regretted altering the conversation as Rose was looking like she might explode with her news at any moment. "Tell me what you got."

[guardianborn]

Rose snickered and reached up to ruffle her hand through his hair. "Like all sleepy and rumpled," she told him, unable not to lean in to steal a kiss.

[guardian_god]

If she was stealing, he was an accomplice, leaning in to draw the kiss out for a moment or three. "This must be very good news."

[guardianborn]

"I'm going to Court with you!" Rose said excitedly. "Me and Lissa and Christian! We're all going! Thank you so much, Dimitri. I knew it'd happen."

[guardian_god]

Dimitri pulled back with a frown, pushing his hand through his hair while he thought about what she'd just told him. "What? I...didn't have anything to do with that, Roza. I'm surprised it's the first I've heard about such a change in plans..."

[guardianborn]

"Well, it must have been something you said," Rose said, shrugging. "Maybe you convinced Alberta and she got on someone else." She held out her phone, showing him Lissa's text message. "See?"

[guardian_god]

The text was clear enough, but something felt off about this to Dimitri. "Okay...let me make a call," Dimitri replied, rolling to the side and grabbing his own phone. "This is just unexpected."

[guardianborn]

"Yeah, totally," she said, not bothered by his needing to double-check. She flopped back onto his pillows, texting Lissa back excitedly.

[guardian_god]

It didn't take long for Dimitri to find out from his captain that indeed, Rose would be joining him on his flight to Pennsylvania the next day and that yes, she would be testifying at the trial at the request of the Queen.

Still feeling shocked and uncertain, he discarded his phone on the table and rejoined Rose on the bed. "Well, this is good news."

[guardianborn]

It wasn't like she hadn't listened to the call with Alberta, and Rose had had to stifle a gleeful grin as she heard her information confirmed.

She eyed him as he came back. "You sure? You don't look like it is."

[guardian_god]

Feeling he could be honest with her, even knowing how emotionally involved she was with the potential outcome of this trial, Dimitri scooted a little closer. "I admit, I'm worried why suddenly the Queen would want you and Lissa and Christian to testify when she was so against the idea a month ago. What changed? Is it really good for the three of you to be involved in a case they have tried to keep as quiet as possible? How will it change the Queen's decision in the end? Will seeing Victor cause more stress to Lissa or to you, for that matter?" Dimitri had many more wondering questions, but he paused there to let Rose consider his words.

[guardianborn]

Rose listened to his worries, feeling touched that he'd chosen to confide in her instead of blowing her off. She reached up, brushing her fingers through his hair and down the back of his neck. "Lissa needs to go," she said, replying to the most important question first. "She needs to see him go down for what he did so she can stop worrying. And I'll be there to protect her and you will. She'll be okay. And - like I said, what you said to them must have paid off. The Queen realised that we have to testify to get the full story, you know?"

[guardian_god]

"Something like that." Dimitri seriously doubted that he had anything to do with the Queen changing her mind, but he just tilted his head against her hand and smiled a little. "You think you're ready for it?"