Let the fun continue!

The last chapter was supposed to come across a little strange, because of Vlad dealing with his transformation stuff on top of everything, but I'm also aware it was probably a slightly naff chapter. In which case, I apologise.

-YD-

The more he looked at her, the more Vlad picked out tiny similarities in her tiny features. Ingrid's trademark pout was already there in her little mouth, and there was the bright blue eyes, mercury-silver against Vlad's own darker hue. Tiny little fingers peaked with perfect little fingernails, and she had minute little eyelashes along the closed lids.

Wolfie had gone through his baby stages faster than anticipated, so Vlad had small amounts of almost everything in newborn sizes up to toddler. Which was lucky really, as his daughter saw fit to do an evil nappy while he was sat watching her wriggle around in her little bassinet.

"You, little madam, are lucky you're cute."

She needed a name. Vlad already knew what it was, what Ingrid would have called her, but saying it aloud seemed so... final. Right now, his world was still trying to find it's new axis as this baby turned his whole life upside down. The solid black all-in-one didn't surprise him - as though Ingrid would have selected anything else for her daughters first outfit. Still, when he made up a bottle to feed her, it inevitably ended up dribbled down her clothes - and his when he winded her gently.

None of it mattered, because this was his daughter. This tiny baby had defied every issue that sought to stop her existence, and had come from him and Ingrid anyway. Vlad didn't think too hard about Ingrid as he put her in a clean babygro, because if he did he would cry.

Eventually drifting off now she was full and changed, Vlad carefully settled her back in the basket, staring at the note like it could tell him more.

Here's your one reason.

At the time, Vlad had assumed Ingrid meant Wolfie. He had never considered this. Hadn't dared to, Ingrid had been insistent about how she didn't want children - even if he knew that was a lie - and that she used the contraceptive to ensure it didn't happen. Still, this meant she had been pregnant a whole three months before she left him. He felt doubly guilty for that last night they had - if he had known she was carrying his baby, Vlad wouldn't have been so... rough. If he had known it was the last time he would be near her, he would have made the most of it.

I was going to tell you on your birthday.

If Vlad hadn't screwed up, they would have been doing this together. His daughter would have her mother there, cooing over the tiny miracle her own body had produced. Because Ingrid had clearly... the fact Vlad was looking at her now meant Ingrid had kept the baby, in spite of her anger at Vlad, and apparently in spite of either being unwilling, or for some reason unable to actually raise her alone. Vlad wasn't sure how he was going to, but undoubtedly knew that he would.

He was still staring at a sleeping baby, note clutched tight in his fist when the other occupants began to rise, and the sudden appearance of a baby could hardly be missed.

"Vlad. Why is there a baby?"

Promising to explain soon, Vlad sent Wolfie to get washed up and dressed for the day. Zoltan went to make sure he actually did it. Renfield was hypnotised - first to take a bath and put on clean clothes for the first time in about two years, then to go do the shopping.

Vlad also knew another thing - he needed to get on with arranging to move. Both because he didn't want his daughter at risk from people like Magda and Patrick, and also because he really didn't want anyone he had gone to school with finding out about the girl who, while Vlad might be biased, he thought practically screamed Ingrid. There was even a smattering of dark brown hair across her scalp, which Vlad couldn't seem to stop touching.

When Wolfie came back, Vlad had to gently explain he needed to be quieter around a tiny newborn, all while trying to work out what to say to his little brother.

"This is my baby. Which makes you her uncle."

"Uncle? I'm uncle Wolfie? Cool! Wait. What's her name?"

It had been on his tongue since he first laid eyes on her, falling out automatically the second he was prompted.

"Ana. Ana Belle Dracula."

Ana was the name Ingrid had always said she would call her daughter, and Belle was a name Vlad remembered was like Ingrid - it was a French name that roughly meant 'beautiful'. Naming her after her mother might be too obvious, but the inspiration came quick and fast for the best alternative.

"Ana. Pretty name. Pretty baby. Breakfast?"

He was utterly unshook by the whole thing, just accepting there was a new baby and thinking about food. Vlad nodded, picking Ana back up and carrying her carefully through to the kitchen. Wolfie smiled when she was laid down in his (clean) kitchen cot, peering over at her sleeping face while Vlad made him a bowl of cereal, sitting at the tiny table to eat it while Vlad made up a fresh bottle.

Ana woke hungry within an hour, and Vlad was relieved to find he hadn't lost his instincts from when Wolfie was little. Renfield returned with a surprising amount of correct objects Vlad sent him out for, and even as his mind toiled over how Ingrid had carried, kept and delivered this girl, she hadn't wanted to stay with her, Vlad found his heart swelling every time his daughter peered up at him with her alert, beautiful eyes.

Wolfie took the fact Vlad clearly had a second call on his attention in stride, keeping himself occupied and chattering away to Ana whenever she seemed awake.

"Does she need a Mr Cuddles?"

The boy held up his raggedy, bite-marked and carried-around-everywhere monkey, but Vlad shook his head.

"She's too small right now, but when she's bigger I'll get her one. Then you two can have matching toys."

"That would be cool!"

Wolfie had a whispered, rather one sided conversation with Mr Cuddles when Vlad put him to bed, itching to get back to his daughter but keeping himself aware that Wolfie had only just started cheering up after Ingrid left - he needed to keep that momentum going.

"This is temporary little one, I wasn't expecting you."

She didn't understand, obviously, but Vlad found himself talking to her anyway as he placed her bassinet next to him on his bed. She had been awake most of the day, but seemed no closer to sleep even now. Vlad dozed on and off, keeping one hand on the side of the carrier just in case... He didn't know in case of what, but the thought was there.

Every time he woke up, Vlad leaned over to check she was still there. Ana looked up at him with silvery-bright stares, even if she couldn't really see that far yet. She was just so small and perfect, and Vlad wasn't sure how he could fit all the love he felt for the fragile creature in his useless, dead heart.

Renfield didn't seem all that sure what to do about the baby, but Vlad had a bigger problem - the VHC. They sent a carrier raven to insist on his presence, but no way was Vlad taking his newborn daughter to Transylvania. He sent one back insisting on their presence, bracing himself and talking softly to his little girl - Wolfie had voluntarily gone to his room, murmuring to Zoltan and Mr Cuddles about how 'uncle Luke' had told him to be good for Vlad.

"Ah. The inevitability of carelessness."

Ana was in his arms - the safest place for her as far as Vlad was concerned - which meant the VHC members following Renfield in couldn't fail to miss the fact. Roqueloire got the first close look, since he assumed the position stood next to Vlad, grey eyebrows creasing as he caught a glance of the little face.

"I wasn't careless, but accidents happen."

"Who's the offsprings mother?"

"That's none of your concern. My daughter is my responsibility."

"Daughter? First born of the Chosen One and it's a female? Typical."

Maras spat the words out, and Vlad was hard pressed not to dust the vampire for daring speak against his baby girl.

"Mind your tone Maras, I'm sure I've mentioned I cling to no such archaic notions and that's my daughter you're talking about."

Maras backed down under Vlad's glare, suddenly interested in his empty goblet as Vlad peeked down to check Ana was ok. She stared right back, pacifier moving up and down as she sucked on the rubber. He was constantly jarred by just how much he loved her, unaware it was possible to feel so strongly before now. He loved Ingrid, and that was a slow, painful itch that never went away. Ana, however, was like everything good in the world had coalesced into one tiny creature who blinked up at him, unaware that she turned his world over.

"Chosen One? The meeting?"

Roqueloire gently prompted him, and Vlad realised he was lost in Ana's little face again.

"Right. Lets get on."

He was very grateful Ana waited until the meeting had ended to want feeding and changing, as he couldn't quite imagine how his constituents would take their leader breaking mid-conversation about rebel vampires in Trans-Siberia to change her nappy.

"I presume this means you expect all meetings to convene in this residence?"

"Well, yes and no. I'm planning to move soon, and our meetings will take place there. However, the vein of it is correct, I have no plans nor desire to be in Transylvania."

There was grumbling and complaining, but they left eventually and Vlad relaxed again, waving Roqueloire off last as usual. One bottle and nappy change later, Ana was dozing in his arms with her tiny thumb in her little mouth, each of the fingers on that hand pointing out. They were miniscule, the full length of her longest finger even less than half the length of his thumb.

"How can you be so small and so perfect?"

Vlad had never dared let himself 'research' how bad an idea he and Ingrid having children would be, equally terrified he would find hope as much as disappointment or warnings. Ana was perfectly formed, with her ten fingers and toes, miniature Ingrid features in her face. He couldn't comprehend the idea that something created by he and Ingrid - maybe not love on both sides, but Vlad loved her and Ingrid was perfection personified - could have any 'problems'.

He would try to find out anyway, for Ana's sake, but he was at peace in himself watching her sleep. She wasn't much of a crier so far, but if she were anything like her mother Ana would soon learn to complain loudly if things weren't going her way.

Almost as though some kind of magical signal went out as Vlad got serious about moving, something addressed to his father came through the post. Was it illegal to invade a dead vampires privacy? Possibly, but the letter felt thick and important, so Vlad flipped it open.

Offer accepted on Kingdom Castle.

He read through it slowly, discovering his father had - despite his relatively short time spent in Stokely - placed a bid on a castle in Surrey. It had been undergoing restoration work, and the seller had clearly hoped for more interested parties than he had gotten. And so, the work was completed and Vlad now apparently owned two castles. He hadn't really been planning to buy another castle - a home with a decent basement would do so he could avoid the sun - but now he had this solution in hand.

"Renfield!"

In a way, leaving would be a relief. This castle haunted him, full of happy memories - Ingrid, so many memories of Ingrid, and horrific nightmares - his father, Jared, Ingrid leaving. They didn't leave immediately, though Vlad managed to call and assure the owner of Kingdom Castle he was definitely still purchasing it. There was one more thing to be done before they could leave, and Vlad could start over new with raising his daughter.

Luckily, he didn't have to wait too long.

"Uncle Luke! Vlad has a baby! I'm an uncle like you!"

The beautiful face of the half wolf creased in confusion at Wolfie exclaiming excitably, though thankfully the boy quieted by the time they got close enough for Lukas to see Vlad holding the baby.

"So long as Vlad doesn't mind, how about we go out and get the baby a gift?"

"Vlad?"

Wolfie turned to Vlad, big blue eyes pleading. Never leaving with him had been a condition of his visits, but Vlad certainly felt like Lukas had earned his stripes for the trust factor.

"Only if you swear to do everything Lukas says. And be back before nightfall, and absolutely do not mention you're my brother."

"I promise! I'll go get dressed!"

Wolfie charged off, and Lukas gave his usual greeting - a stomach-fluttering smile, and his usual bag of American coffee blends since he had gotten Vlad hooked on the stuff.

"Can I?"

Usually reticent to let Ana more than six inches away from him - he used vampire speed to shower these days - Vlad wavered, then nodded and let Lukas wrap his arms under her delicate frame. Warm, tanned, muscular arms...

It was growing clear Vlad was far too used to regular physical release.

"Wow. She's beautiful."

"How did you know she's a girl?"

"Smell."

Obviously. Vlad should have known that.

"How did this come about? It wasn't that long ago I saw you last."

Vlad explained quickly - the cliche of finding a baby on his doorstep, and rather than mention the note he simply held it up. It was creased and worn where Vlad had folded and unfolded it multiple times, clutching it as the last thing carrying Ingrid's scent. Lukas actually sniffed faintly at the note, nodding mostly to himself.

"Figured. Did you see her?"

"No. I wish I had. I wish I could ask her so many things, apologise for even more. But I need to be around for my daughter, not chasing her mother across the planet. Speaking of... we're moving. I'll explain when you get back, I hear a ball of energy heading our way."

Lukas nodded, taking the overwhelming information without a word of complaint as Wolfie skidded back into the room. There was no sign of Zoltan, but then the hellhound was currently in a mildly dour mood with Vlad - he hated moving.

"You need to be Harry if you're around breathers. The last thing we need is a Branagh overhearing your name, since they were all here when mum had Wolfie."

"Luke calls me cub anyway. Come on! Outside!"

Vlad felt guilty about how reclusive he had made Wolfie's life - he sometimes took the boy out to play as a dog under the moonlight, but he physically couldn't go out in the sun and there was nobody else. So Lukas taking him out was a major treat to the halfling.

"Two hours tops. Get a nap Vlad, you look exhausted."

A nap sounded amazing, and Lukas always stayed overnight now so he could afford to wait until tomorrow to get finished packing. Ana refused a bottle, and her nappy was dry, so Vlad propped her bassinet next to him again and lay down on his bed. He didn't get a great deal of sleep, but a couple hours quiet time listening to Ana breathing softly next to him did wonders for his fried mind all the same. Juggling his job, title, Ana's ability to be awake for several hours at a time and and Wolfie meant very little time for sleep, and even less time for relaxation.

"Vlaaaaaaaad!"

"Quiet cub, he might be sleeping."

"Sorry Vlad."

The last was whispered, but Vlad was awake anyway so it didn't matter. He stretched, took a swallow of soya from his bedside bottle and carried Ana back out, finding Wolfie beaming as he laid in to a pizza that smelled amazing.

"We picked up food, Wolfie said it was your favourite."

"I do really like pizza."

Having no physical need to actually eat food when he drank blood (substitute, but it satiated his hunger) meant Vlad didn't bother often unless Renfield presented him with a meal. So the hearty helping of cheese and jalapenos and meat was an undeniably appealing luxury now.

"What about Ana?"

"She's too small for pizza. I'll heat up her bottle when I've washed my hands."

Appeased, Wolfie perched on the floor to watch TV - Vlad had brought it all down to the throne room, and only put it away for VHC meetings these days. Lukas watched Vlad watch Ana, who may only be barely more than a month old, but was still the most riveting and amazing thing Vlad had ever seen, fascinated watching her develop.

"How come you don't sleep in my room anymore uncle Luke?"

"Because Vlad needs help and you need sleep. Come on, I'll tuck you in and then I'm going to help Vlad get ready for moving. I've seen the pictures, you'll have loads of space to roll around in the grass."

Vlad saw Wolfie prepare to sulk, but thawed when Ana yawned and reached for the thing nearest to her cot, which happened to be Wolfie's arm. He leaned down to kiss her hair, which hadn't grown much but stuck straight up it was so thick, and offered his little niece a fond smile.

"Ok. I'll be good."

Sighing inwardly in relief, Vlad smiled to himself as Ana batted the little mobile Wolfie had picked out while shopping with Lukas. It was brightly coloured star shapes, but the baby books Vlad remembered reading all swore colour stimulated their brain development, so he ignored the immediate thought of 'Ingrid would hate it' and focused on Ana and how it was good for her.

He sent Renfield off to sleep - they had a long drive tomorrow - which left them perfectly alone by the time Lukas came back from putting Wolfie to bed for the night.

"You look exhausted."

"She sleeps about four hours a night and naps a little in the day. With Wolfie, the VHC and just day to day unlife, I don't get much time to sleep."

Being wonderful as well as ridiculously attractive, Lukas made Vlad a huge mug of perfectly brewed coffee. The warmth and caffeine infused him slowly, bringing him from completely exhausted up to very, very tired.

"Thanks. So, are you coming on the moving trip or do you want the address?"

"Definitely coming with. You are not going to be able to handle the cub, Ana and moving in all by yourself."

Again, he was wonderful. Vlad hadn't wanted to ask, but he had been thinking the exact same thing.

"Now I have to figure out what to do with this place. I mean, I can sell it but I don't need the money. So is it really worth dealing with multiple vampires who will be as likely to try and slay me as pay me?"

Lukas sipped his drink, mulling Vlad's words over.

"I'll do it for you if you like? Sell the place, I mean. I've been informed I have a degree of allure over breathers, and I can protect myself against biters."

"Are you serious?"

"Of course."

The half-wolf was so thoughtful Vlad could cry, so many of his concerns and stresses allayed by his calm, non-judgemental presence. And excellent coffee, Vlad mused as he drained the last of it.

"The paperwork is all packed away, I'll find it out when we get to Surrey. Feel free to find somewhere to sleep, I'm gonna give Ana a bath in the hope she sleeps long enough for me to."

Rather than go and bunk down - or the wolf equivalent - Lukas followed, laughing at a little arm managing to splash water in Vlad's face when he tried to clean her. When she was out and dry, back in a babygro and still wide awake, Vlad glared at the 'bed bath' baby products he had brought out of sheer desperation.

"This stuff is all lies. It doesn't make her any sleepier!"

Drying the baby bath out so it could be packed into the hearse, Lukas grinned, flashing his sharp canines and giving Vlad a multitude of inappropriate thoughts borne mostly of sexual frustration.

"Well, she isn't a breather baby. She's a Dracula."

"Mmm. True. Thank you for helping, by the way."

Ignoring the memories of how Ingrid had used to laugh while Vlad bathed Wolfie, he buried his face in Ana's fluffy, soft hair and inhaled the comforting scent of baby. She drooled on his sleeve, then started grizzling in the way he knew meant she was hungry.

"Come on then, maybe a full stomach will knock you out. I appreciate greatly that she isn't always crying, but how does one tiny thing survive on so little sleep?"

Lukas made more coffee while Vlad gave Ana a bottle, half-tempted to give her pigweed but agreeing mentally with himself that could wait until she was at least teething. Finally the baby started yawning, which was adorable as could be before her silvery eyes fluttered closed and her breathing evened out.

"I swear, you never love your child more than when they are sleeping."

"I don't know, the closest I have to a kid is the cub and I missed out all the tough bits."

"You know you're welcome to come visit whenever, and stay as long as you like."

They kept their voices quiet as Vlad carefully relocated her bassinet to the 'travel cot' - it folded to mostly flat but was a pretty good size when opened out - in his room.

"I know, but I don't want my brother anywhere near the cub. I don't see much of him, but 'the family' like to keep tabs on me, hoping I'll turn into the wild animal they wish I was. Every time I leave, I risk them seeing I'm gone and looking for me. I hate leaving him, and I know he hates me leaving, but I would rather miss him than put him at risk."

Even with the caffeine flooding his brain, Vlad was still shattered and while Ana was sleeping, he really ought to crash for a couple of hours while he still could. The drive was going to be tough as it was.

"Fair enough. I'm gonna grab a few hours shut eye, then have a quick speed around last minute packing."

Feeling sort of awkward, Vlad didn't even bother undressing and just kicked off his boots before dropping into his bed. There was a few minutes tense silence, broken only by Ana breathing in her sleep before he heard Lukas move. A heavy leather sound - his jacket being hung over something, then hesitant movements as he came closer.

Vlad was very glad he didn't have to breathe, as he expected he may have forgotten how to when Lukas lay behind him. The heat that came off the wolf was immense, but comforting all the same as he wrapped a loose arm across Vlad's waist.

"Is this ok?"

Vlad wanted to point out Lukas had technically already been in his bed - as a wolf, but still - and that nobody in their right mind would ever kick the gorgeous creature behind him out of their bed. But none of that came out, and he simply answered with

"Uh, yeah. Fine."

He was too awkward and out of his depth to attempt to sound less than surprised, but he was asleep minutes later. Lukas was still there when Ana woke up with an unhappy sound, displeased Vlad wasn't there to tend to the need she had had for approximately three seconds. He was on his back, watching Vlad sleep like the dead.

"I'll make coffee while you feed her?"

"That sounds brilliant. Thank you."

It had been a good.. five hours, a new record for Ana. Vlad still felt like he hadn't slept in a week, but his brain felt a bit less foggy by the time he had a coffee in his system, and Ana had the plushie bat Lukas had brought her clutched in tiny fists. It was quite cute, though Ana just seemed happy to have something to wave around violently.

"What's left to pack?"

"Just the essential stuff we couldn't pack until last minute. Bathroom stuff, clothes for today. Bit of kitchenware. I had the coffins sent ahead, told the moving company I make them for a living. That was awkward. Uh... I bought new beds. Since Wolfie's about to outgrow his, and my old ones attached to the floor. They're waiting at the other end too. I've had a couple of weeks to plan and get into gear, because we couldn't leave before you next came by. Not your fault, obviously. This would have taken longer if my dad hadn't already bought the place."

With Lukas helping and Ana helpfully staying settled, aside from a couple of Wolfie's things they were done packing before the night cleared - Vlad went outside, Lukas stayed in to avoid having to try and navigate packing up the hearse with paws. Zoltan growled a little when he was loaded in, but Vlad promised he would have plenty of space to wheel himself about the other end.

"We have an hour or so before Wolfie wakes up, but everything is all done."

"Why Ana?"

Vlad was slightly thrown by the question, mostly because of the sheer surprise really. He supposed it was a fair question - he could be asking if Ingrid had already named her before Vlad became the single father he now was.

"It was the name she always had picked out whenever we played 'house'. I played her servant, and she always said if she had a daughter, she would be called Ana. The second I saw her, I knew that was her name whether Ingrid told me or not."

Even saying her name aloud physically hurt, like the ragged hole grief had torn in his chest had salt rubbed in it. Wolfie didn't ask about her much anymore thankfully - it was a touchy subject for them both. Wolfie still felt abandoned and certain he was to blame, and Vlad was still heartbroken and lonely. Ana was balm on the wound, and when her gummy mouth turned up in a sort of smile - at her age, she couldn't actually smile yet but the appearance was the same - he almost felt whole again.

"I have to say, it suits her. Should we make up a travel bag, bottles and nappy stuff for her?"

"I've done changing, didn't even think of bottles. Bats, I'm glad you're here Lukas. Think I'd leave my head if it weren't attached."

Lukas offered him a smile, and Vlad let him hold Ana while he made up a few bottles - he could use the same power that made things heat to exploding-into-flames temperature to warm her bottle, though he would obviously check it before he fed it to her.

"It's a five and a half hour drive. Three bottles should do it, one every two hours."

Lukas nodded, transfixed by Ana's alert, intelligent gaze now aimed at him.

"I tell you what, she's gonna have her mothers charm. This girl is going to be trouble, all whilst having everyone wrapped around her little finger."

Vlad couldn't not agree - Ana already had him at her beck and call, and she wasn't six weeks old yet.

"I know. She's so perfect, I can't quite believe she's mine."

"How did the High Council take the news?"

"Bunch of complaining old coffin loiterers. Half of them are just dust piles held together by spite and outdated views. Mostly they were annoyed it means I won't go to Transylvania, and that my first born is a girl. Idiots. They weren't all that surprised, what with my uh, recent behaviour."

"How is... that?"

"I've spent near every waking minute with Ana, I haven't had time to argue with my reflections, let alone somehow end up in a storeroom at the VHC with someone I don't know."

They fell silent soon after, because it wouldn't be long before Wolfie was awake. Vlad had kept aside a couple of slices of cold pizza each as a quick breakfast, and Lukas had even thought ahead - he had brought 'road snacks' so they wouldn't get hungry and have to stop while driving.

He took one last walk around the castle, keeping up a running commentary of funny memories to Ana and an internal one to himself of the bad memories. A rush of packing the last few things, reminding Wolfie to use the bathroom before they left, Lukas carrying Ana to the car so Vlad could speed himself into the back of the hearse and they were ready to go. It wasn't as terrifying as he thought - in a way, it was cathartic to be starting over.

"Renfield, drive."

-YD-

Kingdom Castle was inspired by Google - when I googled castles in Surrey, that was the name of a Bouncy Castle hire company and I couldn't resist.