The Best Years of Your Life

Trying not to lose you

Dimitri POV

I smiled at Rose and shook my head.

"Roza, stop fussing. I'm fine. Look, you need to go home and get some rest," I said softly. Rose's hand tightened on my arm and she shook her head.

"I'm not leaving you," she said firmly. I pushed myself to a sitting position and sat up in my bed, taking her hand in my own.

"Roza, you've been here too long. You need to rest. I promise you, I'm going nowhere," I said, pressing my lips against her hand. She exhaled heavily and leaned over me pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"I should speak to Jake," she muttered. "I haven't even spoken to him since you first got here."

I sucked my lip between my teeth and tried to ignore the stab of pain it sent through my heart. I wasn't in any state to get her back. When I was healed – that's when Jake really had something to worry about, because I wasn't going to be some half-assed contender. I was going to fight for Rose with everything I had.

"Good idea, Roza. Then go rest. Please. I should really call my family anyway," I said, smiling at her. Rose nodded and left the room allowing me to pull out my phone and call my mother.

"Dimitri," she breathed my name almost as if saying it caused her physical pain. I swallowed the lump in my throat and greeted her. "We were worried sick. Honestly, Dimka! You know how dangerous those streets are! You lost Andrew on them!" she chastised. I closed my eyes and nodded.

"I know, I wasn't thinking straight. I was upset...it was a stupid thing to do. But...I saved a girl," I said softly. I heard my mother put down a cup heavily and she cleared her throat.

"From what?" she asked tenderly, her voice softening to an almost whisper. I closed my eyes.

"He was going to rape her," I spat the words out and I could feel the venom dripping off my words. My mother sighed and I could see her shaking her head.

"You always did the right thing Dimitri, but I do wish that you wouldn't put yourself in these positions," she said exasperatedly. I heard her dragging back a chair and I knew that the others had to be sitting around her.

"How is Rose?" she asked. I closed my eyes and nodded.

"She's okay. Tired, but otherwise she is doing fine. She didn't leave my side," I said softly. I could practically see the smile on my mother's face and I could hear my sisters fighting for the phone. Ask him if they are dating yet! I shook my head and smiled.

"She already has a boyfriend," I told them. I heard an outraged noise and I could see them all fighting for the phone in my head. "I'm going to fight for her." I heard my mother chuckle and she shook her head murmuring to herself.

"Of course you are. Hopefully, it will work and we'll get to see Rose again. We miss you, you know," she said softly. I smiled and nodded.

"I know. I miss you guys too. I love you, you know that right?" I asked. My mom laughed.

"I love you too, Dimka. We all do. Your grandmother is insisting that she speak to you. I love you. Bye," she said. I murmured a bye and then was met by silence on the other end. I sighed and shook my head; Yeva.

"Yes, Grandmother?" I asked, smoothing down my sheet. She made a non-committal noise and I heard her leaving the room with my siblings.

"Don't pursue her. Not yet at least," she said softly. I furrowed my eyebrow and held in a sigh; she always did love being cryptic.

"What do you mean?" I asked. My grandmother sighed.

"You love her and she loves you. But, she almost lost you Dimitri and you don't want her entering into a relationship with you because of that. You give it time. Until you're out of the hospital. Then you chase her," she said softly. I mulled over the words in my head and nodded. She was right. Besides, it gave me some time to formulate some sort of game plan.