I know what you're thinking.

"Again? So soon?"

*sigh* why am I doing this to myself?

Really, do I like torturing myself? Once again I had a story idea and instead of just letting it go, I'm going to make a temporary one-shot and attempt to force myself to ignore it. Even though I'm barely having success with "Seras was wrong and Alucard is angry". (I've tried to ignore it and I found in my free time I had already written a second chapter and then had it typed up. Its all I can do not to submit it online.)

I had promised myself to leave "Run, little one, run" as an one-shot and we all know what happened with that. Already with this one I have all these ideas for potential buzzing through my head. I'm incorrigible.

So now here's my second temporary one-shot. (Crosses fingers and shuts eyes. Must resist)

xXxXxX

She was the most perfect and beautiful image of fear no one had ever seen.

Honey colored brown hair flying behind her and her chest heaving in air she couldn't get enough of. An emerald green cotton overdress rippling in the sunlight and the frantic speed that she was traveling at as she sped over the land as if fleeing from the devil himself. Her white sleeves clung to her pale skin from the speed in which she ran. A red cloak fastened about her neck tightly flowing behind her and a single sliver locket bouncing on her chest. The most perfect heart shaped face and eyes of the most vivid ocean blue. So unnaturally blue. Eyes that showed worry and apprehension. Eyes full of fear and determination. Eyes that flickered back and forth. Searching. Searching. Searching for HIM. Searching for the danger. Searching for the thing that would undoubtedly kill her and the precious, precious thing that she gripped with her hand as if her life depended on it.

She flicked her eyes down to that precious thing and she was reassured. Her precious was still there. Running and being half dragged along. Tired, yes. Small and helpless, yes. Confused and scared, yes. But still there and getting safer with every step they took. The forest around them was getting dark with the slowly setting sun. Her eyes flickered up and a desperate, manic sort of smile came upon her face. The river! Oh god the river! The flowing body of blue green water was the most blessed thing she had ever laid eyes on. It was thirty feet across and flowing fast. It was the most dangerous and beautiful thing she had ever laid eyes on and she swore if she got across alive she would never litter again. If she could just get across…

"Mommy! Where are we going? I'm tired!"

She looked back down at her daughters exhausted cries. Her little angel couldn't run any longer and neither could she. But they must. They MUST. She stopped and picked up her daughter and continued forcing her body to move. Run! Flee! Get help! Anything to save the precious bundle in her arms. She squeezed tighter to hold on. To reassure herself that the little girl was still there. she couldn't stop looking at the girl, as if she looked away in a moment she would be gone forever. As if she looked away for even a moment she would never see her little precious angel again. That might well be true. If they were caught… God save her and her beloved, irreplaceable child. So warm and as long as her beautiful angel was in her arms all would be well.

They were so close to the river. Sweat poured down her face and her legs shrieked in protest. Her breathing ragged and her limbs weak. NO! DON'T STOP! FASTER! She cursed herself for being weak. She was a terrible mother for being weak. It would be fine if the consequences for her weakness were her own but her child would suffer as well. She would be ashamed to be called a mother if she let herself be weak. Faster and faster. Not fast enough. More speed. More distance. Not enough. More. MORE. Save the precious child in her arms. Save her. SAVE HER. RUN FASTER! All safety concerns were not for her own self. She was no longer important. She was insignificant. Not important at all. The bundle was. The child. The perfect child. The beautiful little girl. Her daughter. Right there in her arms. She neared the riverbed and saw the water flow. Gravel and dirt flew up behind her spraying.

She got to the water ready to splash in.

A sharp crack and a backfire noise as a bullet flew past. She cried out sharply in surprise and put down the child, herding her angel behind her legs. Hiding her. Her eyes grew wide and she trembled.

It was HIM.

He stood there, twelve feet from her, with a grim look on his face, framed by his white blonde hair. There was malice and anger in his eyes. He was intent. The gun he held in his hands didn't shake and it was casually lowered to his side. There was no doubt in those dreadful red eyes. He would kill her today and be done with her. his mouth was parted as he studied them both and she could see those fangs. He was angry. His eyes were so angry she could see bits of black taking over at the edges. NO! Save the child. The beautiful child. Her beloved little girl. She had been caught. But not her daughter. No. She spread her legs and grabbed the tiny wrist behind her that had been gripping her legs, ready to dive backwards and let the river take them both. She may die today but her child would live.

He spoke then. "It is not enough that I have given you everything my dear? Now you seek to leave me?" Those ghastly, horrible, horrible red eyes slid downwards to her child's trembling frame. She moved in front more to hide her little girl. "And to steal my child with you?"

"She is MY child. I will not give her to you! You are no father." She hatefully spit in his direction and covered her beautiful angel's ears, protecting her from what she would say next. "You're just a rapist."

He seemed amused by her response and a mustached lip tweaked upwards in glee. "Ahhhhh… but haven't I given you everything? A life of luxury and no pain. A caring husband. A lovely daughter. And all I asked in return is that you stay by my side and obey me and give yourself to me."

Here the rage seemed to come back to him. "Was that so hard? Apparently it was. You were not willing to share our bed. I had to coax you. You were not willing to share our child's time. I had to force you. And now you are trying to tell me you are not willing to even stay at my side and will now try to steal MY child?."

She edged back an inch in answer. Her heart beat. Her legs felt weak but she had managed to catch her breath. She could smell the river behind her. Could hear its gurgling and rushing past with a whoosh. It was safety and danger in one thing and she could see the dazzling light reflected on it from the dying sunlight.

He sighed and snapped his fingers. Her eyes widened a little more in fear. "Zhivago…" she whispered. She shoved her daughter behind her further. Shelter her. Protect t her. He grinned. That… that beast of a man… no not a man. It didn't even deserve a name let alone to be a called a man. She had to protect her angel from it.

Her attention was drawn back to HIM. "Well I suppose there is one dignified way to solve this. Zhivago, please bear witness to this. A shame… I was looking forward to celebrating her fourth birthday with you my dear." His eyes were fixed and full of murderous intent. "I offered you devotion and care for as long as you lived. I gave you safety, shelter and a, life of comforts. I offered you all the beautiful children we could ever desire and love and raise. I offered you all the clothing and jewelry and gifts you would want in exchange for your heart. You would not give it to me."

Her hands tightened on her daughter's wrist. "No… I won't. I will never." She spoke quietly. A note of finality seemed to settle over the clearing.

He raised the gun. A pistol. "Then what use do I have for you?"

Frantically she turned around and looked to her daughters face. "RUN…"

Crack. She gasped in pain. Midway in her jump. She could feel her shoulder leaking. Spray of blood. The water a foot from her was deep. She swayed. She couldn't hear anything. Suddenly, she was very aware that she would die. She steadied herself on her knees and looked at her beautiful angels face. Tears streaming down fro those perfect blue eyes. Crimson blood had splattered her hair ruining the perfect corn silk blonde hair. Soaked in her own mothers blood. The perfect blue eyes and the perfect blonde hair. Her beautiful daughter. Her love and her angel.

Her lips struggled to make words. She gripped her daughter's shoulders feeling the water flowing over her legs. "I… will… always love… you…" she pushed and felt her heart wrench as her tiny daughters scream was cut short from the water and she could see her being carried downstream by the rushing water. Another crack of a gunshot went off and she smiled through the pain. She had lost the battle but more infinitely than possible had won the war. Her daughter was safe. It was all she could focus on as her world went black and her chest felt pain and broken. Her little Seras was safe forever.

And that….

That was all that mattered

OoOoOoO

Sooooo…. What do you guys think? Good start and interesting story? Or a bad choice? Personally I really love this one. It sort of captured the determination and love of a mother for their daughter. Plus it leaves really cool situations for the future.