Meier woke up with a gasp and a scream dying on his lips, his hand reaching out. He could still see the poor villager he had bitten, his look of anguish and despair, the holes on his neck, and hear the shouts and yells of the people all around. They had stopped attacking the moment he had jumped from the carriage and attacked the man who had dared shoot at the windows of the carriage, almost breaking them, almost hurting and killing Charlotte.

His own flesh aching because of the silver bullets that had penetrated it, Meier had lashed out, calling Charlotte's name after hearing her scream. And before he could realize it, his fangs were longer and already deep into the man's neck, the first person he had ever bitten, the first victim of his long life, his first bite ever.

When he had returned to the carriage and prompted the horses into a frantic gallop, his eyes were full of tears and his hands were shaking. Fortunately, the windows were strong and the silver bullets hadn't been able to break the special glass, thus ensuring Charlotte's safety. But once they were far enough from the village, safe in the woods, he stopped and made sure to check on her and apologize.

His hands were still trembling and he felt like going mad – he had spent his entire life trying to keep his disgusting bloodthirst in check and now he had failed. His family was known for being the only Noble family that never hurt and bit humans – the only Noble family that had never done that -, but now he had broken that sacred vow and his fangs and mouth were dirty with innocent blood. He felt ashamed and unworthy of being in Charlotte's presence, but he had to reassure her and comfort her after that terrible event. He had seen the man transform after being bitten – he knew the village would soon become a nest of vampiric ghouls if the other villagers couldn't kill that one man in time.

"Charlotte." he softly said from beyond the door of the carriage, not even having the courage to open it and enter. "Charlotte, are you alright?" His voice sounded weird, broken and hoarse and frail, and he couldn't stop his body from shaking. How could he look Charlotte in the eyes, now? How could he even touch her hand after making her witness the disgusting qualities of his vampiric nature?

But she opened the door before he could even finish talking and she looked at him with so much relief and love he couldn't remember what he was about to say. She took his hand and pulled him inside, watching him intently with her kind amber eyes.

"Charlotte…" he babbled. He had cleaned his lips and there was no blood on his clothes, but he could still feel the coppery taste of it in his mouth and he feared of opening it too much and scaring her with that wretched sight. "Are… Are you alright?"

"Yes! Oh, Meier, I was so scared! I thought they had almost killed you!" She turned to the windows. "I screamed when they started shouting at us, but the bullets ricocheted off the glass and it didn't break. But I saw you had been hit and…"

"I bit the man who shot at the windows." he blurted out, even though he knew she had seen that. Her expression turned softer, a bit sad, and she said in a whisper: "I know, honey."

He was about to say more, his gaze full of shame and panic, but he sensed human presences nearby and hurried to get back outside and lead the carriage out of there. He apologized to Charlotte in the Noble Hideout, his hands still shaking, his heart still full of remorse, guilt, pain, and sorrow. He hadn't meant to hurt the village! He hadn't meant to make Charlotte see such a terrible thing! Their trip had started just two days ago and he had already slipped, ruined everything, destroyed the precious balance between himself and the world that he and his family had so deeply valued in all those centuries – but most importantly, he had failed Charlotte and put a terrible weight on her soul.

"Forgive me." he said as they rested inside the coffin in the Hideout. "Forgive me." He didn't know what else to say - words were failing him and he felt on the verge of a breakdown. He barely dared to touch her, feeling like a monster, now fully certain he was one. But she wasn't scared of him and she told him that repeatedly. She kissed him and he felt even more ashamed, because he knew he didn't deserve her and her love.

He later discovered the Hunter D had every intention of killing him. The dhampir even mocked his credibility as a kind Noble, doubting the truth of his reputation that he had so recently sullied. Meier lashed out again, hit on that sore spot that still tremendously hurt, that would always hurt. Would D have tried to talk to him, after discovering Charlotte hadn't been turned, if Meier hadn't bitten that poor villager and doomed that village to a life of darkness and death? Would he have left them alone, had Meier not fallen, even if just for a moment, into the same pit of monstrosity all other Nobles continuously lingered in?

He didn't know, but a part of him was glad that D and that huntress in red had been so stubborn in hunting him. D had helped in weakening Carmilla, from what Meier had been able to gather, and the huntress had convinced him to let them leave for the stars.

And now, here they were, finally married and traveling to the City of the Night in their cosy, safe ship. The golden wedding ring shone on his left hand as he sat up to rub his eyes and he could see the one on Charlotte's hand as he turned to her. She was still sleeping, a happy smile on her face. He fixed the blanket on her body, making sure she was warm, and pressed a soft kiss on her lips, love flowing in his heart like an endless river that would never stop running.

He had told her the anxiety and nightmares they had were normal after the events they had gone through, but that night was the first time he had dreamed about the villagers. He always had nightmares about her – Charlotte lying dead or wounded in Carmilla's castle, killing herself on the bridge because he was dead, or being killed by the cruel Hunters who had ambushed them.

He had noticed her improved mood at night in the last few days and he was so, so happy about it. He hoped he would get better soon as well to avoid worrying her – he could see how concerned she was about his dreams and the enormous guilt he still felt for having accidentally put her in danger.

When he went back to sleep, he dreamed again and this time it was one of the usual nightmares again. He saw her in that empty village, standing near the well, and when he called for her, she turned to him with empty eyes and a gash on her neck from which hot blood poured out. Their surroundings changed and turned into Carmilla's castle; he saw Charlotte fall on the ground, lying lifeless on the cold marble.

Her blood streamed towards a shapeless red form a few meters from her. The thing was crouching down and it licked the blood as it came towards it – and when Meier tried to reach Charlotte and stop that horrible creature from stealing her blood, he couldn't, for he fell down, too, cut in half, and he was too far to reach Charlotte even with his hand.

Despite being fatally wounded, he was still conscious and started screaming his wife's name – "Charlotte! Charlotte! Charlotte, my love!" -, but she didn't move and he could only stare, forced to be still in his gutted state, as Carmilla's decayed form kept sucking his love's blood from the floor.

He woke up again, screaming, and this time Charlotte was awake, too, talking to him, calling him, her hands on his face.

"Meier! Meier, honey, wake up!"

He clung to her, gasping and moaning, and he immediately touched her cheeks, her shoulders, her hands to make sure she was real, that she was really there, safe and sound. He rested a shaky hand on her neck and took a deep breath – the holes had healed long ago and her heart beat strongly and steadfastly, healthily.

"You were calling my name and crying." she said softly, drying his wet eyes with her fingertips. "Another nightmare?"

He nodded, still not being able to speak. He took deep breaths, following her instructions, then he cuddled in her arms, watching her with restless eyes, listening to her heartbeat and nuzzling her cheek.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" she said, knowing it was important to talk about their dreams. He swallowed and murmured, looking at the ribbons on the front of her nightgown: "I dreamed about the villagers first."

She cupped his cheek and he leaned into her touch. He sighed, closing his eyes, and she waited for him to continue. When he opened his eyes, she was still watching him, a soft smile on her lips, reassuring and warm.

"I… I saw myself biting that poor man again." He opened and closed his mouth, babbling. "I… I didn't do it on purpose, Charlotte, I swear it! He shot at the windows and I heard you scream – I feared he had hit you and when the silver bullets struck me, I couldn't contain the rage and…"

"I know, Meier. I know." She kissed him and caressed his face. "My love, I already told you at the castle – it wasn't your fault. We were just passing through the village."

"But I failed you!" he exclaimed. "Oh, Charlotte, I failed you not once, but twice! First by hurting those poor people and letting you witness such a horrendous thing, then by putting you in danger!" He choked on a sob and sat up, clenching and unclenching his hands, looking at her with guilt and pain etched on his face. "I… I am so sorry!"

"Meier!" She pulled him into her arms again and looked at him with incredible love and sweetness, making his soul sing with joy and cry in shame at the same time. He felt disgusting, a horrible creature, a Devil's spawn that wasn't worthy of looking at her and he told her that, his whole body shaking.

"Meier, my love, listen to me." she said, moving his head so his eyes would meet her. "You are so kind and good, Meier! You are the best, kindest, most selfless person I know!"

He shook his head, his lips trembling, and he quickly interrupted her: "I also dreamed about you again. I saw you dead in that awful castle and that demon was drinking your blood and I could do nothing to help you!" He broke into sobs and pressed his face on her shoulder, repeating over and over again: "I almost lost you… I almost lost you…"

"I am here, Meier." she reminded him, holding him tightly. "I am here, safe and full of life. You saved me, here on this very ship. We are fulfilling our dream, we are going to our new home together."

He sniffled and she stroke his hair, continuing, smiling again: "Let go of this guilt you feel. The Countess was a formidable enemy and we couldn't have done much even if we had expected her to act like she did. The fact that we were able to defeat her and finally leave for the stars is already a small miracle."

He made a low sound and she brushed her lips on his cheek before saying: "I feel guilty, too. I feel guilty about those Hunters my father sent to kill you, those Hunters who mocked you and hurt you while you were burning to save me. I feel guilty for falling into Carmilla's trap and I feel bad about the villagers, too – but I know we aren't to blame. It just happened, it was an accident, and neither you nor I wanted to hurt them." She hugged him more tightly. "Our path met theirs and the ways of the world we have left behind did the rest. We terrified them and they terrified us, but there was no cruelty on our part."

He slowly pulled away and looked at her with big, confused eyes, reminding her of a puzzled puppy.

"In the castle, you said… you said that if I wasn't a Noble… if you didn't love me… that wouldn't have happened." He looked down. "And that is true. I…"

"Meier." She took his hands and kissed them. "Meier, love, forgive me. I said that because I desperately wanted you to transform me. I saw how much you were suffering because of your bloodthirst and the thought of growing old and leaving you alone, of being able to spent only a limited amount of time with you, was maddening. And so, I told you to stop hesitating, that it wasn't time to turn back."

He looked at her with hope. He didn't want to turn her and she had thought much about that matter during those months, but she would come to her final decision only three years later, in the City. But they didn't know that yet.

She continued, her eyes welling up with tears: "It was wicked of me and I'm so sorry, Meier. I didn't mean to hurt you and make you feel guilty."

"No, don't apologize! You didn't hurt me! I wasn't… it wasn't you that…" He babbled, unable to form words in his mind, and she kissed him, pressing her body against his.

"Oh, Meier!" She cradled his face in her hands, her love for him a flow as strong and endless and eternal as the love for her running within him. "We are safe, now, and we will stay together forever! We will remember what happened in the past and also remember and honour those who helped us arrive here, but we must not let those memories haunt and destroy our happiness. We fought so hard for it and we deserve it!" She beamed at him and he managed to smile back, his eyes less sad, his gaze brighter. "And you, you are the kindest, most selfless person I know! And you wouldn't feel like this if you weren't so good and kind-hearted!"

He sniffled again and blushed, saying softly: "Forgive me, Charlotte. I didn't mean to worry you."

"Silly. I will always be here for you."

"And I for you." He pressed his forehead against hers, breathing deeply, his hands on her waist. "Thank you, my love."

She grinned at him and kissed him – he deepened the kiss, his palms roaming her back, then he planted tickling kisses all over her face, her neck, and collarbone, making her giggle. The nightmares had been chased away and his heart was at peace. They had made one more step towards recovery and they had made it together, as a married couple.

He asked her how she was feeling, if she had had nightmares as well, but she reassured him, saying she had slept like a baby in the last weeks. According to the holographic clock, it was almost midnight, Earth time, and he apologized again for having bothered her rest and he urged her to go back to sleep, but she giggled and said: "Why don't we have a midnight snack?"

He tilted his head, puzzled. "A midnight snack…?"

"Yes! A little bit of food to relax ourselves." She clasped her hands, her cheeks pink, her eyes glittering like stars. "I found other heating bottles of hot chocolate in a small storeroom near the art supplies room!"

"Oh, Charlotte, my love!"

He looked at her with so much love and adoration she giggled and blushed harder and when he hugged her and peppered her face with kisses again, she laughed and tried to catch his mouth.

They had their midnight snack – Meier a large cup of artificial blood, Charlotte one of hot chocolate and some sweet biscuits -, then they watched the stars while cuddling in bed. When sleep made their eyelids heavy again, they fell asleep in each other's arms and this time no nightmares came to bother them. The ship continued its trip, bringing them closer to their new home.

In the Japanese version of the movie, Meier didn't actually mean to turn the villagers into vampires. He is actually the only Noble on Earth who never used his fangs on a human and who never hurt one - the accident in the village was his first bite ever, triggered by the silver bullets the villagers shot at him and Charlotte, so it must have been a pretty big trauma for him. I mentioned this in Garden of Stars, but I wanted to explore this concept more with a stand-alone fic.