"Having a little family chat, were we?" The dhampir found himself conversing with the parasite in his left hand as he lay on the couch. His hat and sword were placed neatly on top of another as they leaned against the wall, next to his delicately-folded cloak. One boot crossed over the other, he looked up at the ceiling fan that spun round and round without fail.

"Now you're really in a spout, aren't ya? I don't think I've ever seen a man with so many troubles. Debating whether to take care of your only son, or whether to leave the family all together... wondering how you can protect them... It's almost like one of those cheesy movies, isn't it?"

"Since when have you seen a movie?"

"You got me on that one..." D focused on that 4-winged fan that sliced through the air ever-so silently.

"I just don't know how I can protect her from something I can't predict..."

"You like that, don't you? Controlling everything. In the end, you always know that you can beat your foes blindfolded with a peg leg and two hands tied behind your back. It ain't so easy now that you have a foe even you cannot kill... Heh, never, and I mean never did I think I'd see the day when the great Vampire Hunter D would fight his own father..." The parasite paused. "You said save her... Did you mean Doris... or your mother?"

D looked down at his hand. He wanted to squeeze the life out of it, but maybe the parasite had a good point.

"Doris and your mother are not the same... Your mother couldn't be saved... but Doris can... Stop dwelling in the past, my friend, and start thinking about the future." The parasite blinked, if that was even possible. "Wait a second. Did I just offer you advice? Ha! Maybe this whole baby thing was even making me change a little!"

Even though he joked about it, maybe his hand was right. He had to stop thinking about his mother. She was dead, and there was nothing he could do about it. But Doris... sweet Doris... she was still alive, and he could help her. It was them that he vowed to protect her no matter what.

Doris... How I love you, Doris...

"D?" The dhampir looked over towards the doorway. There stood a boy of mere nine, pajama-clad and looking a bit tired.

He stepped over toward his "big brother" and knelt down on the floor next to D's spot on the couch.

"D, is Dante going to be safe?" D looked at the young boy who stared at his legs. He lowered his brow slightly.

"What do you--"

"I heard you and Sis talking on the porch... When he fell limp like that I... I don't know. It scared me. He may be my nephew, but... he seems like my little brother. I love him, D." He looked up. "Who's after him?"

"That's nothing you should be concerned over... Your sister doesn't want you worrying all night."

"Well, you ain't gotta tell me. But... I trust you to keep him, and us, safe. I believe that you will, D. It isn't like a man like you to leave a girl, her brother, and her child out on their own. You'd never abandon us, I know you wouldn't." He smiled. "I never got to thank you for coming back. You could have just left us to take care of the baby by ourselves, but you cared enough to travel all the way over here. That proves it right there that you'll never leave us."

"I do what I can." Dan smiled and hugged D.

"Thanks, Big Brother. G'night."

--

"D..." The sun shone down through the curtains into the small room where a young miss Doris Lang was sleeping. She opened her eyes slowly, inhaling deeply as she stretched. Sighing, she looked around her room before rubbing her eyes and standing. Doris checked on the still-asleep little Dante before heading out of her room into the living room.

The dhampir whom she had been calling to in her sleep was already outside doing the round of daily chores. Dan was right there with him, helping him while probably chatting off his ear as well. Doris gave a slight chuckle as she watched them from the window. She quickly checked the clock. 10'o clock? Did she really sleep in that late?

She quickly rushed into the bathroom and began to get ready. Brushing her hair, her teeth, along with adding a slight bit of make-up, which was something she did not normally do, made her look like she was ready to go. She put a white blouse on with a long skirt and tied up her hair. A bit more feminine than she'd like, she thought, but she wanted to look for D. D... she wondered if he thought the same about her that she did about him. She loved him so much...

"Doris...?" an enchantingly beautiful voice said from behind. The girl's heart skipped a beat. She turned around, but much to her surprise the voice did not belong to D.

Before her stood a gorgeous figure even more beautiful than D, porcelain skin and sparkling eyes that seemed to pierce her very soul. A smile that invited, yet, in a cold way, was curved upon the figure's red lips.

"Who...Who are--?"

"Be still, young one... I just want to talk to you, Miss Doris Lang."

--

That marks the end of this chapter! Review please!