OK so this is a new chapter!

Thank you all who review/follow/favorite the story! As well as those who just read it!

Well, season 3 fucked with my feelings. Like, by the end I was like "ADRIAN! MY POOR BABY!" and also, "Hey, Trevor, Sypha you two should take a break after all of that. You know where you should go? Go back home, see your boy because ADRIAN NEEDS YOU DAMNIT! so just go back to the castle, yeah?"

Yeah, I'm hurting so now I will make you all hurt by making little Adrian cry a lot in this. Just a heads up.

Also, I may take this story into season three as well. I mean, obviously, no matter how this ends (i.e. Drac living or dying and Adrian going home) there would have to be at least a chapter or two following, but now I have a season three I could incorperate into it. Possibly. We'll see. I do have the reunion planned and how season two in this universe will end, I just have to get there.

Also

'Thinking'

"Regular talking"

Anywho, onto the chapter!

Sypha let her eyes flashed towards the back of the wagon once more, eyes settling on the small form huddled up towards the back.

"You're doing it again." Trevor grumbled from where he sat beside her.

"What?"

"Watching that thing."

"He is not a thing, Trevor." Sypha scowled at him.

"Whatever.

"I'm just worried."

"That it might kill us and a bunch of innocent people? Me too."

Sypha smacked him on the back of his head.

"Ow! What the hell?!"

"You know what you did." She huffed, her arms crossed as she glared at the hunter. "If you must know, I'm worried about him because he looks so tired and scared still."

"Yeah, well, being around new strangers who tried to kill you can do that to a person."

"So you acknowledge Adrian is a person?""

"Oh, shut up."

In the back of the wagon, Adrian heard the two speaking but did not bother to truly listen to their words. He was tired, what with such a stressful night before, yet as his body tried to fall asleep, his mind forced himself to stay awake. He wasn't safe. He couldn't be safe despite what the speaker had told him. He was far from home traveling with a Belmont toward a town full of humans. Honestly, it was amazing he was not having a panic attack at the moment.

Adrian allowed himself to settle into a light doze, awake enough to notice a change in anything around him, yet shut off from the world enough to have a small break from the chaos that has occurred.

Up front, Sypha glanced back once again and let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the boy resting curled up with his eyes softly closed.

"Finally." She said, turning her gaze back to the road before them.

"You know, he's probably not really asleep. Vampires don't need as much sleep as humans do."

"Yes, but he is a boy and, what with his current situation, I bet he needs the sleep." Sypha huffed, glaring once more at the hunter.

"Yeah, well, he isn't going to get much sleep, what with the village coming up soon."

"Maybe we can just wait a little bit longer before entering."

"Or we could skip this whole trip and ditch the brat."

"We are not ditching Adrian and we are certainly not going to skip the town. We need to get him better traveling clothes and possibly a blanket for him while we travel." Sypha crossed her arms. "I am not letting a child travel through the dangerous woods in his night clothes."

"I mean-"

"Trevor, I won't say it again. We are not leaving him behind." The smile she gave him made him swallow whatever words he was going to say.

They fell into silence for the rest of their time on the road. It was not until they started to come up to the village, which was just as destroyed and effected by the night hordes as any other village in Wallachia, that the silence was broken with a cry from the wagon.

Trevor and Sypha both jolted at the noise, the wagon being yanked to a stop as they both whipped around to look at the teen in the back of the wagon.

"Adrian, what is-?!"

"Don't!" Adrian cried, curling into the side of the wagon, golden eyes set on the entrance to the town before them. "Please don't take me in there!"

"Hey, hey, calm down." Sypha tried to comfort the dhampir, her hands up in a peaceful gesture as she moved to enter the back of the wagon with the boy. "It's ok. We're just stopping in to get some supplies. Nothing is going to happen to you."

"No!" Adrian cried, shaking his head in denial as his body shook with panicked breaths. "No! They'll hurt me again! Please! Please don't! Please!"

Up front, Trevor groaned as he drew his hand down his face. "For fuck's sake," He grumbled before standing up and going around to the back at the entrance to the covered part of the wagon. Sypha shot him a look as he came around, no doubt thinking he was going to force the boy into the town by force, but Trevor only rolled his eyes at her before settling into the wagon. Honestly, he wasn't completely heartless, or at least, a few past events have proven so.

"Calm down, we won't bring you into town." Trevor huffed. "At this rate, we'd attract way too much attention with your screaming so I doubt it would end well for any of us. This is supposed to be a quick stop, so it would be much quicker if you don't come in with us."

"I agree." Sypha said before looking back at Adrian, who had calmed slightly at the conversation. Her eyes drifted over the scars she could see dotting his skin, before she smiled at him once more. "I think it would be best for you to wait out here. So, while I go in and get you some traveling clothes and supplies, you and Trevor can wait for me on the side of the road."

"Wait, hold on-"

"Now Trevor, we don't want Adrian to be alone do we?" Sypha said, turning to look at the protesting hunter.

"Well, yeah, but that doesn't mean I get babysitting duty!" Trevor groaned. He had a feeling his reasoning for not leaving the dhampir alone was different from Sypha's.

"Of course it does!" Sypha huffed before looking at Adrian with a smirk. "This idiot here would get all the wrong things or get a blanket with a hundred holes in it for you thinking it was ok for sleeping." This got a smile out of the boy before he looked down to the ground.

"Y-You don't need to watch me. I won't go anywhere."

"Of course you won't!" Sypha stated confidently as she began to make her way out of the wagon. "I just don't want you to fight against anything that might attack or think its an opportunity to steal a few things from the wagon."

"I can fight." Adrian pouted but it only made Trevor scoff and Sypha smile even more.

"Of course you can." Despite the words, it did not sound condescending. "But you are tired, no?"

A nod.

"Then you should rest, especially if you are having trouble sleeping. That way you can have some energy until we camp for the night. And even then, you never know what could happen. Besides," She pointed at Trevor. "His thick skull is very good at taking hits, and as stupid as he can be, he is quite good at fighting."

Straightening out her robes and grabbing a bag of coins from the wagon, Sypha turned to them one last time. "Wait for me, alright?" Then she looked at Trevor. "Behave. I'll see you in a bit."

With that, she headed into the town.

Trevor sighed as he rested his head against the thin cover of the wagon. He had just moved the wagon off to the side of the road and it already felt like it had been forever since Sypha had headed off into the village. It also didn't help that there was quite obviously tension between himself and the teen that was curled up as far away as he could be in the small wagon.

Letting out another sigh, the hunter spoke. "So, you could take a nap if you want."

"I'm fine." Adrian replied, no even lifting his head to look at the other. To be honest, he would have prefered to have Sypha here with him than the Belmont.

"Yeah, well, I'm just saying."

"You don't need to talk to me. I know you'd prefer it if I wasn't here."

"Yeah, well, we won't have to worry about that when we find your dad." To be honest, Trevor was growing more conflicted over his feelings about the kid. Sure, he didn't want him there, but with how vulnerable the kid was being, those conflicting feelings were turning from wanting him gone because Adrian was part vampire to not wanting to drag a kid into this mess.

"Hmm…"

"Hey, speaking of your dad, how are you-or we, I guess- going to find him? 'Cause the way I see it, unless we'll stumble across him on our way, then we may not find him."

Adrian shrugged. "I don't really know. I...I know what the area around our home looks like, or what it should look like anyway," That is, hoping the castle doesn't move while he's away. "But other than that, I'll have to wait. I'll either get home first, find him, or he'll find me."

"I see." Trevor hummed. "And your dad...he is a vampire? Or…" Trevor waved his hand in Adrian's direction, the motion catching the dhampir's eye causing him to look up slightly. "I mean, you said you were half vampire, right?"

Adrian blinked in confusion for a few seconds before his mind caught onto the question. "Oh...um...yeah. My dad is a vampire. My...my mom was…" He swallowed thickly. "Was human."

Trevor caught the 'was', his eyes flashing before replying. "Ah. Well, that's...nice? I guess...um.."

"You think I'm weird."

"Well, no, just...uh…"

"It's ok." Adrian shrugged before pulling his legs closer to his body. "The other vampires think I'm weird too."

'Christ,' Trevor cursed silently as he took a deep breath, emotions he didn't want to think about rising slightly in his chest. "I don't...I don't think you're weird...just...uh, never heard of a half vampire, half human before. Or at least, none living."

"My dad says I'm called a dhampir." Adrian mumbled into his knees. "They can happen, but it's very rare and none of them have ever lived past birth."

"He just...told you that?"

Another shrug. "I was curious."

"Alright then…"

More silence. Honestly, Trevor was not good at this whole talking thing, especially with a child. Drumming his fingers on his leg, the two continued to just sit in an awkward silence when Trevor spoke again.

"So...if...your dad had a human for a wife, then how's he feeling about the whole," He waved his hand in the air. "Destroy the humans thing Dracula is doing."

Adrian tightened his grip on his legs. "What do you mean?"

"Oh you know." Trevor drew out. "The night hordes attack cities all over Wallachia for the past year or so. Homes falling apart, blood painting the streets, people screaming, ectedera, ectedera. All that stuff."

"..."

"I mean, if your dad had a human wife, then I would assume he wouldn't support Dracula."

"He does." Adrian mumbled out.

"Really? Even though he had a human wife? Even though you are part human?" Trevor's voice, while not shouting, was definitely accusing.

"He understands where Dracula is coming from." Adrian snapped back, glaring at the hunter.

"Where he's coming from? And where, exactly, are these attacks coming from?" Trevor pressed, arms crossed as he raised an eyebrow at the teen before him. The tension that had been in the air shifted from awkwardness to animosity.

"From grief." Adrian growled causing Trevor to let out a laugh.

"Are you serious? Grief?"

"My d-Dracula lost my-his wife to humans." Adrian shot back, his emotions threatening to cause him to slip up. "They...They…" His breathing started to speed up as the memories of that time started to come back to him once more. Clenching his fists, the dhampir fought to gain control of himself once again, his head shooting away from where the hunter was sitting. His eyes, which had been shut tight, were forced open as Adrian struggled to find a way to ground himself, only for his eyes to settle on the beaten and bloodied entrance of the village they sat outside of.

His breath hitched as his enhanced senses took in the sight before him. His scared mind tried to shift the view to be that of that horrible night, but he could not force his eyes to look away from the real sight before him. All this time, he had been hidden away in the castle and had not dared leave after the night he and his mother had been taken. Adrian was very aware of the war his father was raging on the humans, despite his father trying to keep it from him during the beginning stages of his attack, but Adrian had never thought of the outcome of his father's actions. The very real sight fought for its place against visions of the past within his mind. The very real smells of decay and the echoing silence in what was supposed to be a bustling town pierced their way into his mind.

The horrible area grounded him but it only served to twist his insides up even more as he struggled past one trauma to understand the terror that lay before him.

"W-Wha…"

Trevor watched the teen struggle to catch his breath as he tried to explain why Dracula was attacking. To be honest, Trevor really didn't care about the reason. Nothing could excuse a genocide of the human race. Though, from the kid's reaction, he had a feeling he may know exactly what had happened to lead to all of this. Looking at the scars that covered the kid, plus the way he reacted to possibly entering the village, it wasn't that hard to figure out where those scars had come from. Add on to that that the kid seemed to know exactly what happened to the wife of Dracula, what with the same reaction he had to entering the village was to talking about the woman, it was safe to assume the kid was there when it happened. Now why he would be with the wife of Dracula of all things was beyond him, unless of course-.

Nope, no that wasn't possible. He wasn't going to think about that. Maybe it's the lack of alcohol trying to put such ideas in his head. He'll bring it up to Sypha later, let her deal with the weird ideas his mind is coming up with.

The hitched sound coming from the kid brought Trevor's attention away from his thoughts and he looked to see Adrian's eyes set on the village before them.

"What, finally realizing what it is that is happening?" Trevor grumbled.

"W-What happened?" Adrian choked out, voice hoarse before swallowing thickly.

Trevor raised an eyebrow. "Dracula happened."

Adrian said nothing.

At this point, Trevor was both hoping Sypha would show up and at the same time he was hoping she wouldn't because he had a feeling he would not get out of their encounter unscathed. Maybe he could escape real quick? No, then she'd yell at him for leaving the brat alone. Was there any way of him not getting yelled at by the speaker at this point? Maybe-

"People...people are getting hurt."

Trevor stopped and looked back at Adrian who was now looking down at the floor of the wagon. "Uh...yeah?"

"And...and inside the town?"

"Probably looks either worse or better. Depends on the state of the people, though it's probably not good." Trevor answered honestly watching as the kid tightened his grip once more on his legs and he pulled himself back into his curled up position.

"It's like this...everywhere?"

Trevor shrugged. "No. Some places are worse than this." He caught sight of Adrian's eyes tearing up at that. "Ah...but...uh, some are better? I mean-"

"He said he was protecting me." The mumble was barely heard, but Trevor caught it anyway with his battle trained senses. "He said...and the humans hurt us. They...they…" The kid's breath hitched again. "Humans hurt! He...he's doing nothing wrong because...because they...t-they attacked and...and…!"

Shit, where was Sypha when he needed her.

"Trevor~."

Speak of the devil and it shall appear.

Said hunter cringed and turned to find Sypha sending him a chilling smile while her eyes flicked between him and the crying teen.

"Listen-"

"I told you two to behave!"

"And we did! We were just...uh...talking and uh…"

Sypha ignored the rest of his stumbling excuse as she crawled into the wagon and called softly to Adrian. "Adrian? I have some clothes for you if you'd like to go change. I'll take care of the big oaf for you."

Adrian raised his watery golden eyes to look at Sypha before biting his lip and slowly uncurling. He swallowed as he took the bundle of clothes the speaker held out to him before opening his mouth to speak. "Um...he...he didn't do much. He just...we were just talking."

"Did he say anything stupid?"

"Well…"

"Don't worry about insulting him. He naturally says stupid things." Adrian cracked a smile at her words before scrambling off to go change out of sight of the two humans.

Once he was gone, Sypha whirled on Trevor. "What did you do?!"

"Nothing! We were just talking!"

"And clearly you made him cry!"

"So the topic was a bit sensitive, it's fine."

Sypha quirked an eyebrow. "And what, exactly, was this topic?"

Trevor shifted under her look. "I just asked about the brats dad and how he felt about Dracula's actions and all."

Sypha sighed. "You thought you could talk about that with a child?! Trevor, he was already scared?! Why couldn't you talk about nice things?!"

"Hey, I was just trying to figure things out, ok? Random, half vampire brat comes out of nowhere saying he wants to go back to his dad, I'll have some questions!" Trevor crossed his arms. "Besides, the kid gave me a fucking headache anyway."

"Really." Sypha asked skeptically. "And how, exactly, does a crying child give you a headache? Oh, wait, was it because you don't know how to handle a child?"

"Ok, in my defense, I never have, nor have I ever wanted, to deal with a child let alone one that was crying." Trevor shot back. "And, no. The kid's answers have fucked with my head. Like, they made no sense."

"Well, will you elaborate?"

Trevor dragged a hand down his face. "Well, to start, I think the kid was there when this whole fucking mess started. Like, in person. Not only that, but he also gave a reason as to why Dracula is going on a fucking rampage, and the reason makes even less sense to me. Honestly, I hope that when I tell you everything, you can deal with the headache so I don't have to."

"Well, I hope you tell me everything so I don't have to sit through your explanation of it. Right now, you are giving me a headache." Sypha huffed. "Just tell me."

"I feel like I need alcohol for that. Honestly, I'm still wrapping my head around it."

"Um…"

The two jumped at the quiet voice and turned to see Adrian standing there, arms holding the bundle of his night clothes while dressed in the more appropriate travelling clothing. They seemed a bit large on his thin body, but they would do.

"Oh! Do they fit alright?" Sypha asked.

"Yeah…" Adrian mumbled and he seemed to fight with himself before taking a deep breath. "Also, if you're going to talk behind my back, you should be quieter about it."

"Oh! Uh…"

"Well, maybe you should keep that vampire hearing to yourself, hm?" Trevor shot back, feeling more comfortable with the brat when he wasn't crying. "Or else, you might hear something you're not ready for."

Adrian gave him a deadpan look. "I wouldn't listen if you weren't so loud."

"Or you're just a nosy brat."

"Loud, thick skulled man."

"Ooh, kid has bite. Got anything else?"

"Stop, I will not have you teaching him name calling." Sypha huffed, only for Adrian to look at her.

"But you told me he was thick skulled." Adrian said, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

The two humans stared at him before Trevor burst out laughing and Sypha blushed. Sypha then huffed and moved to the front of the wagon explaining the two of them better hurry or she was going to leave them behind. Adrian hopped up into the back of the wagon once again while Trevor shifted to once again sit up front with Sypha. Up front, Sypha turned and gave Trevor a smirk.

"Still want to ditch him?"

"Shut up."

"You smiled when he smiled."

"Only because your words backfired. Besides, the kid might have information now."

"Right, I'm sure that's the only reason you want to keep him."

"It is."

From the back of the wagon, Adrian called up to them. "I can still hear you."

"Shut up, brat!"

"Stop whispering about me!"

"Stop being weird then!"

"You're the weird one!"

"Oh, fuck off!"

"Trevor! Language!"

"Oh, come on, he started it!"

In the back, Adrian relaxed as the topic was not shifted away from him, letting the two argue in the background as he turned his gaze out to where he could see the town fading in the distance. Conflicting feelings rose within him as he was faced with the effects of his father's war. He was told that it was being done to protect him, but that part that was nurtured by his mother told him this was wrong, that these people shouldn't be hurt. Yet, at the same time, the sight of the village called to the terrified part of him that had been tortured at the hands of the humans and forced to watch his mother…, he shook that thought away. He has lost his control over his emotions too much within the last day. The attack and being left far from his father's protection out in the world of the humans left him shaken and tumbling without an anchor. This lack of safety pulled at him, adding fuel to the terror that lives within him and only further leaves him unstable.

Of course, he will admit the hunter and speaker give him a sense of comfort, at least when they stayed away from any of the topics that were focused around either him or his father. To be honest, he felt safe with them, or at least, was starting to despite it having only been a few hours since their first meeting. Even the Belmont had grown on him. It could just be that he was looking for something to keep him safe and grounded during this time, but he felt they at least will keep the humans away from him. Them not dragging him into the village was proof of that. That they cared in some way, even if it was only to keep from attracting attention.

But...for how long would they care? He knows he has slipped up, let out facts and as stupid as Sypha claims Trevor to be, he knows that it won't take long to put the few facts together. What would they do if they found out he was the son of Dracula? Would they hurt him? Leave him on his own? At least with them, he knew they were no doubt looking for Dracula so at some point he would return home if he stayed at their side.

And at the same time, he was conflicted over his feelings for his father. He loved him, of course he did. But seeing that town made him wonder if his father was right? If he sticks with the two humans, what should he do if they all come across his father? He won't let them kill him, of course not, but...should he really support his father. It was for his protection, that was what he was told, but the state of that town made Adrian feel sick to his stomach for more than his natural fear.

'And it's all one big circle.' Adrian thought as his thoughts returned back to the start of his contemplation. They were too confusing for his young mind no matter how intelligent he was nor how quickly he developed. It especially didn't help with how tired he was after all of these events. He let his mind let go of these ideas for now, his exhausted mind unable to fully grasp the thought process.

Glancing up at the sky, Adrian couldn't help but whisper a soft, "mom" as he wished for the comfort he knew she would provide.

So yeah, that happened. Also, Trevor isn't really that stupid, at least not when it comes to putting things together if he really thinks about it. I mean, he did have to survive by himself on the streets without his family for a while when they were killed so yeah. He's catching on he just doesn't want to believe it.

Also, I had thought about bringing Adrian into the town when I realized a traumatized kid, no matter how quickly they mature, may not want to go into the town so easily after only a year. Maybe if it had been longer or he had been older and desensitzed or more control over his emotions or anything else, maybe then, but not here. I also had to keep myself from turning him into a little bat and hiding with either Sypha or Trevor. I wanted to, but I was like, no he wouldn't do that, not yet! I will do it in the future, hopefully.

Feel free to comment, ask questions, etc.

Until next time! :D