*I figured that, dealing with traumatized orphans and children placed in the care of the government Alexander might have a slightly better grasp of what to do when a victim of sexual abuse approached him for comfort. I rather thought that the vampire's "human pacifier" was an interesting concept...and I can quite easily see a vampire doing that, too! Thanks again for everyone that's taken a moment to click the "Review" button and give me a little feedback or just a quick "thanks." Please take a minute to look at the other two stories if you haven't already. If you like one, chances are good you'll enjoy the other two!*

Pacifier

It was a sound sleep, thick with comfort and warmth, and it ended when a chilled body joined Alexander. It took a few moments for him to wake, and a glance at the blurry clock showed it to be almost noon.

Both vampires should be sound asleep in their coffins.

However, there was no denying the mass of black hair burrowing into his shoulder, or the death grip that the cold white hands had on his pajama top. Alucard was in his bed, curled as close to him as the vampire could manage. It didn't take a genius to realize that something had the vampire truly and deeply upset; he was rigid with tension, and shaking, small tremors racing through his body. Just as worrisome was the panting; small, quiet rasps of breath, in a creature that had not needed to breathe for the better part of a millenium.

Concerned for Alucard, Alexander pulled himself up into a sitting position, leaning against the headboard, and tugged the vampire up next to him. Or at least he attempted to; as soon as he gripped the arm and pulled, the vampire let out a brief, keening whimper. Alexander settled for simply stroking the black hair, gently, and before long the vampire had pulled himself up next to his master. His grip had not lessened, but Alex was able to lift him slightly and look at his face.

The vampire's eyes were clenched tightly shut, and bloody tears leaked from them.

"Bad dreams, eh?" Alex's voice was pitched to soothe, soft and gentle, wrapping the vampire in support. There was no response, but after several seconds, the vampire finally gave a slight nod. Alex continued to stroke his back, cradling the deeply upset vampire in his arms, and simply holding him gently.

He had known, before he even accepted the bond, that the vampire had...issues...with contact by men. The book that described the vampire and the bonding ritual had been very frank on what was believed to lie in the vampire's past; this was not the first time Alucard had come, seeking comfort when his past surfaced unexpectedly and painfully. It was only the first time this had occurred and he had sought Alexander for that comfort.

While the vampire might want comfort, Alexander suspected that being on the bed with him was not a good idea in and of itself. He voiced his concern quietly to the vampire, not asking if the bed was threatening, trying hard not to imply anything. "Would you rather we sit in the chair?" The vampire's vehement nodding was quickly followed by Alex swinging his feet off the bed, rising with the vampire cradled carefully in his arms, and moving to the chair. He'd managed to grab a few blankets along with the vampire, and while it was difficult not to trip over them, he made it safely to the recliner.

It was a matter of moments before Alex was comfortably arranged in the chair, feet up on the footrest, throw pillow tucked behind his head. Alucard was curled in his lap, blankets tossed over them both, but not yet arranged, himself. He shifted slightly, and Alex was a little shocked to find the vampire's mouth pressing against his throat. There was no threat, no touch of teeth, just the cold lips and a slight suction.

After a few moments, Alex realized that he was a human pacifier, and the vampire was slowly falling back asleep. He spent a few moments running gentle fingers through the vampire's hair, idly ruffling it, another hand rubbing gentle circles between the shoulder blades. The vampire's sucking eased, and with a long shuddering sigh, he fell asleep.

Cold drool ran down Alex's neck, but he wouldn't have moved for the world. Instead, he simply held his poor, broken vampire, resting quietly, until he, too, was relaxed enough to sleep.