The sun was just setting as the first vehicles pulled into the Academy's grounds, even though Anna had been standing as a Guard to the gate since noon. It wasn't a very exciting job as most Strigoi weren't foolish enough to attempt an attack on a place as heavily guarded as Academy... at least not since the Guardians had started actively hunting them down. As yet another black sedan pulled past her, Anna checked her watch yet again wondering where Gunner was. He'd gone into the woods surrounding the school with two other Guardians to do one last check of the Wards posted around the parameter of the school. Since one of those Guardians had been Belikov, Anna wasn't so worried about his safety as she was just getting antsy about being left alone on Guard duty.

Anna's hand strayed to her molnija marks, Gunner had more as he'd taken out a few of the Strigoi who had taken her hostage in their senior year. Anna's marks had come later during their trials to become part of the Elite Guardian force. She'd gotten cornered and separated from the group and had been forced to fend for herself against two of them and then had killed another on her way back to them. Needless to say, Gunner hadn't been to happy about her having wandered off but she'd felt she had something to prove. Though her stunt earned her respect with the others it had also gotten her a good tongue lashing by the Queen about safety and the dangers of being rash. Anna had behaved herself after that... even though she didn't see the marks as a prize it had been hard to gain the respect of those who'd been at their sworn duties for years with none of her own.

Again Anna shifted on her feet impatiently, this was her weak point... waiting drove her crazy. She sighed softly and kept her body in the usual Guardian stance but it was marred by the occasional scuffing of her boot to distract herself from boredom. Another sedan was about to go through when it pulled to a stop and the back window rolled down to reveal Sebastian. Anna abandoned her Guardian stance to toss her arms around his neck, it had been nearly a year since she'd seen him last and that had been at court where they hadn't gotten to talk much due to propriety's sake and all that.

He grinned and patted her back and teased her, "Nice to see you too Ross... where is Mr. Marks?"

"Triple checking the Wards...Seb, I missed you! Is Serena with you or...?"

Gunner walked with a stake in hand as they made their way around the perimeter of the school. It was always strange, wandering around the woods on the other side of the wards that had kept him within the school grounds for so long. He guessed that was part of becoming an adult.... Adult... That was still a weird concept. He tucked his stake away at the perimeter was deemed completely and entirely intact and night slowly began to fall. He smiled at Guardian Belikov, "This is strange... Being out here with you guys."

The two older Guardians laughed. Guardian Burns looked at him, "Its been three years, Marks. Surely the awe has worn off."

Gunner laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, "Ya, ya... But I'm still waiting for the two of you to start yelling at me for being outside the wards... Rather than myself yelling at other kids trying to sneak off," He shrugged, "We should probably head back. The students should be arriving...."

Guardian Belikov looked at him, "Teachers too...." He smiled, knowing exactly who Gunner and Anna were waiting for, "Why don't you run ahead. I doubt there are any Strigoi out. The sun is still up... Just barely."

Gunner grinned and nodded, "Thanks," Before running off and racing towards the gates to wait for Sebastian with Anna.
~
Serena had been wearing her hair up more often. Humans gave her almost as many strange looks as Moroi did. The scars had become something she over came though, a sign of her courage and strength. Something she came to hold close to her. Something that Sebastian had to basically drill into her head over the last few years. Something she'd finally come to accept. Not to mention, with her hair up, it allowed her to show her molnija marks that was were placed in the small remnants of undamaged skin at the back of her neck. It had been offered to her to place her tattoos on her arm, so that her scars may remain hidden. She decided against it, wanting something that truly proved her strength to rest with something that showed her weakness.

So, her hair was pulled back into a ponytail as they drove to the school that had saved her. She looked at Sebastian and smiled before looking back out the window. As they pulled through the gates, they came to a stop and she looked at Sebastian as he addressed Anna. She grinned as the girl practically pulled him out of the car to hug him and hopped over to lean against him, coming into Anna's view, "Or what?" She asked in a light tone, smiling at her friend.

She opened the door and hopped out of the car, climbing over Sebastian in the process and properly hugged her friend, rather than trying the awkward through the window over Sebastian hug. She pulled away from the hug and push a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "It is good to see you... and really see you again."

Her and Sebastian's time at court hadn't brought the group together as she thought it might have when they first arrived. It wasn't exactly acceptable for Moroi to be hanging around Dhampirs, more so than at school, which almost stopped Sebastian. However, add them hanging around a lot with the Queen due to her interest in their bond. They also got to learn a lot about their bond from her as well. Things that they might not have had the chance to learn from someone who had never experienced it. It was a little strange though... Walking around with the Queen and her millions on guards. This also meant that despite being at court, she didn't really get a break to sneak off and see Gunner and Anna herself. She hugged Anna again as Gunner came running up. He looked at them all before snatching Serena away from Anna and hugging her tightly, lifting her completely of the ground, "About time you two came to visit," He joked before putting Serena back on the ground. He smiled at Sebastian and held out his hand to him, "Why don't you send the car ahead? We can walk back together."

Serena nodded, "My legs could use a good stretch," She looked between Gunner and Anna, "The plane ride from Italy was a horrible as I remember," She snickered. Part of the reason the four had been out of contact for so long also included the fact that Serena and Sebastian spent the last six months back in Italy, further south and about at far away from Sienna as they could get. Gunner pushed her lightly, "Stop bragging."