This had to be a dream. It couldn't be real.

But no. Trevor Belmont was real, very much alive, and currently limping heavily towards the castle.

"I would really like to go to sleep, please." Trevor slurred, falling to his knees on the steps. "Right here."

Turning around just in time to see him fall, Sypha rushed forward. The idiot just laughed, delirious with exhaustion no doubt. She still could not believe he was there; surely, if someone pinched her hard enough, she would wake up.

"Can you make it to a bed?" Sypha asked, hooking an arm around her shoulder and hauling him to his feet.

Alucard took the other side. She was grateful; Trevor wasn't exactly light, and she wasn't sure how long she'd be able to carry him for on her own. She was still bruised from the weeks of constant fighting - and pregnancy was its own kind of exhaustion.

"Just about."

"Help me take my boots off." He muttered, collapsing against the bed.

Sypha did as he asked, wincing a little at the sight of his filthy, blood stained feet. He was cut and bruised all over. She needed to look at him properly. It was a miracle he did not have an infection; his body had taken a terrible beating these last few months. She could not remember the last time he'd had a full night's sleep, or a good meal. Still, things would be different now.

By the time both boots were off and she'd lifted his legs onto the bed, he was asleep.

Two weeks later, he was still asleep.

Sypha had tried not to worry for the first few days. He had been through an unimaginable ordeal. Who knew what terrible things he had seen, what pain he had been in on his journey back to her. There were so many questions she needed the answers to, but they would have to wait for now.

After the first week, she was out of her mind. He opened his eyes for a few moments every couple of days, and occasionally staggered out of bed to take care of his bodily functions, but he did not speak. He didn't even grunt. He just moved blindly, wordlessly, around the room. It was like nothing she had ever seen before.

Today, he had not even done that.

She knew it must almost be nightfall; the light in the room was beginning to fade. She had not eaten since yesterday, had not moved in several hours. Her back aches, her mind cloudy from being trapped in the same stuffy room with an unmoving body for hours. As much as she hated to leave him, she needed fresh air and something to eat.

"I'll be right back, okay? Don't worry."

She rushed to the castle kitchen, hoping it would be empty. She didn't want to speak to anyone; what was there to say? They only asked after Trevor's health, and she had no answers. She should know what was wrong with him - she should be able to cure him. But she could do nothing.

"How is he?"

She hadn't heard Adrian come in.

"Asleep." Sypha said swiftly, gathering enough food in her arms for the next day or so. "I need to go back to him."

She turned to leave the pantry, but found Adrian blocking the door.

"I can watch him." Adrian said. "If you wish to eat in peace. Have you slept at all for the last month?"

First, she had not been able to sleep because the bed felt hideously empty without Trevor in it. The night hours had dragged endlessly, the life inside her the only thing to keep her company. She had thought things would be better now. They weren't.

"I tried." Sypha said. "I sleep for five, ten minutes. And then I dream he is dead for good, and wake up screaming."

"It is not good for the.." Alucard said, waving a vague hand towards her belly.

"I know. But what can I do? He's been asleep for weeks, waking only for a few moments at a time. He is like a corpse, he doesn't seem to see me. What if something has happened to him? We don't know what happened to him in that corridor. He seemed sane enough when he got here, but what if the injuries to his body are too much? We cannot know for sure that he will recover."

"No. And we won't know until he wakes up and starts speaking some sense. Well, as much sense as is usual."

"Hmm. I'm sure he'd have some witty retort to that."

"I think he'd probably just tell me to fuck off." Alucard replied. He ran his eyes over her, taking in her thoroughly disheveled appearance. "You should bathe."

She frowned, folding her arms indignantly. She knew she did not look her best, but he didn't have to say it.

"That is not a very subtle hint."

"But a necessary one, I feel. I will watch him, if you wish."

"Thank you. First, I must eat. This little one is as greedy as his father."

Adrian stepped aside, allowing her to go to the kitchen. There was nobody else in here, the silence blissful. She was lazy, perhaps, to not help outside when there was so much to do. Right now, she was just thankful for the peace - and the cool breeze coming in through the windows.

"You think it's a boy?" He asked softly.

"I know it." Sypha said, sitting down at the table and setting out her bounty in front of her. "I cannot explain how. I just sense it somehow."

"There are stranger things in this world than a mother's instinct. I don't doubt that you are right."

"Thank you." Sypha smiled, before tearing into the bread like an animal falling on meat. "This is good!"

"I can tell. If you'll excuse me, I shall go and keep an eye on him. Take your time."

"Thank you. I won't be long."

"You do not need to rush on my account." Adrian said as he walked away.

The bedroom was eerily quiet. Trevor snored, as Adrian recalled. He wasn't snoring now. There was barely any sound at all, save for the occasional rattling breath that signified the lump in the bed was still alive.

"Good evening, Belmont." Adrian thought it was only right to announce his presence.

He sank down into the chair by the bed. It was still warm; Sypha had probably sat in it for days. She did not seem to be able to settle. Her relief was palpable, but she was still worried. And she had every right to be; Trevor had been exhausted.

Who knew what he'd seen, what toll such an ordeal took on a human body? There was a very real chance his heart might give out on him, exhausted with the constant abuse Belmont put his body through.

Alucard sat in that chair, staring blankly at the wall. His own body felt heavy; at last, it was safe to rest. But how could one rest when so much had happened, and there was still so much to be done?

"Thank you." Sypha opened the door. "I have washed, you will be pleased to know."

"A relief to us all."

"He didn't wake up?"

"Not a sound."

"Adrian...what if he never wakes up? It has been days. His body is so weak. He had a fever last night - I tried to help, but I don't think it worked."

"Give him time. You should sleep too."

"Perhaps I'll close my eyes for a while." Sypha yawned. "But there is so much to do. I should be helping outside, I know I am worrying about nothing.."

"You are exactly where you need to be. There is plenty to be done. There will still be orders to be given when you have both recovered from the ordeal."

"You are right. Make sure there is some order to it all, alright? I don't want to have to start over just because you've done it wrong."

"Of course. Goodnight, Sypha."

"Goodnight. Thank you."

A while later, when the sun had set and the room was entirely bathed in darkness, Sypha lit a candle. The light did nothing to disturb Trevor, who slept on, his face obscured by the blankets. She lowered the cloth from his face, checking for the warm flutter of his breath against her hand. Still alive.

"Trevor, if you can hear me.." Sypha began, sitting down beside him and taking his hand in hers. "Let me know you're alright in there."

"Hmm?" Trevor murmured. His eyes opened slowly, a grin spreading over his face as he caught sight of her. He lifted a hand, pawing at the sleeve of her robes. She clasped his hand in hers, raising it to her lips and pressing a kiss to his knuckles. "I thought it was all a dream."

"No, not a dream." Sypha said, setting him down and placing the back of her hand to his forehead. She held it there for a moment, until she was satisfied. "You feel better. You've had a fever."

"How are you?"

"Fine. Perfect. Never better."

"Really?"

"Well, I am sick as a dog in the morning and hungry as a horse at night but besides that - perfect. You are here. That is all I need."

"Our little lad giving you trouble?"

His hand wandered from the bed, finding her belly. His palm, wide and warm, felt made to fit against her. There was not much to feel, not yet, but she would never take his touch for granted again.

"You remembered." Sypha said. "I thought..you've been asleep so long, you were so weak.."

"Of course I remembered. Suppose I better make an honest woman out of you, hadn't I?" He asked, a wry smile on his face. He nodded down towards her stomach. "What do you think, son?"

"It doesn't matter to me." Sypha said quickly. "Marriage is not something I ever thought about."

"I think..my mother would have liked it." Trevor said. "Tradition and all that. I know we don't exactly hold much stock with the church. I don't care about being married in God's eyes. I just want you to be mine. Possessive bastard that I am."

"Wow. You are unexpectedly romantic when you're sick."

"Don't get used to it." He shifted, wincing. "Fuck me, I feel like shit."

"And there's my Treffy."

"Oh god, spare me." He sat up, grunting as he steadied himself. "Come here."

Sypha lay down on the bed beside him, curling against him. She had been too scared to lie next to him for these past weeks, the extent of his injuries unknown to her. She had not wanted to make anything worse, choosing instead to sleep curled up in that damned uncomfortable chair. He pulled her closer, and she relished the warmth from his body.

"I love you." She said. "I'm sorry if you didn't know before."

"I love you too." He kissed her hair. "I knew. You're just stubborn, is all."

"And you're not?"

"I said it first, didn't I?"

"You're happy? About..the baby?"

"Fucking terrified." He laughed, breathing sharply as pain overwhelmed him. He stopped laughing, lifting her chin and looking at her. The amusement was gone from his eyes. "Happy, though. I don't know what kind of father I'll be but..you're going to be the best mother, I know that."

"Who are you and what have you done with Trevor Belmont?" Sypha said, her voice thick with tears. "So many compliments."

"I'll be back to myself soon enough. Just..I want you to know I thought of you in those last moments. When I thought I was dead, the thought of leaving you behind..leaving our child behind..it fucking hurt."

"You're here now."

"You are..happy, right?" Trevor asked, suddenly serious. "We weren't exactly being careful, but I know this wasn't something we planned."

"When I realised..when you were gone..I was happy that I would have something left of you. A child is a joyous thing. But I was alone, and I was scared."

"I'm sorry."

"It isn't your fault. If you hadn't done what you did, then we'd all be dead anyway."

"True."

"So. A new adventure, then."

"I suppose so."

"It won't be boring?" Sypha asked. "Staying in one place, the same faces every day, the same routine.."

"I think I've had enough excitement to last a lifetime. It'll be nice to have a bed of our own to fuck you in."

"Trevor!" Sypha felt her cheeks redden at the sudden shift in his mood.

"What?! I was dead, I'm not allowed to want sex?"

She rolled her eyes, shoving him gently. It was probably not wise to be too rough with him, but he needed to be kept in his place.

"You didn't actually die. You've been awake five minutes, and that's all you can think about?"

"You're right. Food, then beer, then sex."

"Food, then bath, then sex." Sypha corrected him. "I love you, but you smell like death."

"Sorry. Food, then bath, then I want you to ride me until my balls are empty."

She wrinkled her nose.

"You are disgusting."

"I know." He grinned, before wincing with pain. "Actually, I think I might sleep a little more. Is that alright?"

"Of course. I'll be right here."

He looked at her, really looked at her. She met his eyes, wondering what he was thinking. She had never seen him look at her so seriously, as if he could see right into her mind. His brow creased.

"Sleep. You look exhausted."

"I'm okay. As long as you're here, I'll always be okay."

"Sleep." He repeated, tugging her closer and wrapping his arms around her. "You're just going to have to put up with the smell. I'm not letting you go."

"Charming." Sypha laughed. "I don't care. You're here."

"I'm here. Sleep."

So she did.