A/N; So I've ragged on Bram Stoker's Dracula a LOT, but for a book I supposedly hate and keep screaming at the characters, I keep coming back to it. While relistening to it recently, I started thinking about ways the story could have gone.

This particular bit is inspired from the epilogue where it mentions that Arthur Holmwood did find another bride, and how that might have played out against newfound anxieties, even though Dracula was eliminated.

Because there is no way he didn't come away from that experience without some PTSD. Fun fact; Cary Elwes did play Arthur Holmwood in Bram Stoker's Dracula, so this is wildly appropriate.

Mirror

Fifteen months ago, Haru had been disappointed, but accepting.

One year ago, she had attended the funeral of one who, while it might be a stretch to call her a close friend, was a good woman that Haru had heavily respected.

She wasn't completely sure what all happened after that. It wasn't that she thought that she'd see the Baron von Gikkingen at any functions so soon after his fiancée's unusual death, but it still filtered through to her that he, along with his friends that had also vied for Louise's hand had left for an international trip. She remembered thinking that it would probably do them good to get away from all the familiar places that he spent time with her, and recoup some of his mental strength.

Which is precisely why she was currently worried.

Under any other circumstances, she would be overjoyed that the Baron Humbert von Gikkingen had paid so much as a single call on her, let alone give her reasons to believe that his plans would eventually lead to marriage.

Except that it wasn't anything like her private fantasies.

He was as handsome and polite as ever, but there was a… spiritual weariness about him that hadn't been there before. If that were all, perhaps Haru could have brushed it off.

It was his indifference, Haru decided as she twirled with him on the dance floor. Where other couples seemed to be lost in the romance of the moment, Baron had a blank expression, even as he made up for the little things she was doing wrong to create the illusion that she was a lot better at this than she'd ever claim. His beautiful green eyes that she had fantasized about countless times were dulled somehow and focused on a point over her head that did not change direction with them as they seemed to endlessly circle. She couldn't help remembering that Louise was a bit taller than her.

On paper, this was the sort of thing that she always dreamed he'd do with her, but it was still not what she dreamed of.

Haru did her best to smile and act like nothing was wrong, but it was all she could do to keep up the façade until Baron was escorting her into his carriage later that night and the driver gently flicked his reins to encourage the horses to begin a gentle trot.

She was even thoughtful enough to discreetly make sure that they were good and out of earshot of the host's home before turning to her escort, wishing with all her heart that she didn't have to do this. "Baron, we need to talk."

His eyes blinked tiredly. "Oh? What about?" he asked almost automatically.

Haru took in a steadying breath as her fingers nervously played with the beadwork of her yellow skirt. "This is probably going to come out clumsy, but I hope you will take it the way I mean it, and not the way it comes out."

It was kind of sad, that this was the most reaction she'd gotten out of him almost since he first paid a call on her. He slowly turned his head with an arched eyebrow.

"I think you need more time to mourn Louise," she spat out quickly before she lost her nerve.

The name alone seemed to wake him up to a shade of his more usual self. He sat up a little straighter and gave her more of his tired attention. "A lifetime won't be enough to mourn her, Haru."

Haru fought hard not to curse herself for being vague. "Baron… I think you've forgotten that I was watching when you were courting her. I can tell when you're actually interested in a young lady or not, and you are only going through the motions with me."

He flinched, since he knew better than her that it would be difficult to deny that.

"Now, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with mourning Louise the rest of your life," Haru quickly clarified in case she was giving the wrong impression. "I mean, I cared about her too, I'd be shocked if you ever stopped wondering what life would have been like if she lived. I'm even open to naming a daughter after her," she confessed, even though it was probably too early to talk about children.

Baron's attention was now completely fixed on her, but he was being as silent as the grave himself.

"I understand you have duties and obligations to continue the family line, and I know you probably settled on me because-" she cut herself off with a blush, even though her feelings for him were never exactly a secret, thanks to an ex-friend that had never learned to keep her lips shut.

There was a tiny twinge of a smirk teasing his lips, ensuring that yes, he had heard the rumor.

"Because I would be open to a courtship," Haru babbled while not being able to look him in the eyes, staring out the window instead. "Also, I am not that likely to spout any foolishness against Louise since we were on such good terms. I want it understood that your feelings for her are not the problem whatsoever."

"Then what is?" he asked with genuine curiosity.

Against her wishes, her hands grabbed two big fistfuls of her skirt as her heart raced out of control, since this was a topic no girl would be comfortable talking about. "It's the fact that you're indifferent to me," Haru forced herself to admit. "I was never expecting to replace Louise, but I was hoping you would make some room for me in your heart."

She wasn't looking at him. She could barely hear him breathing, but she definitely didn't hear him contradicting her view of his feelings.

"I know that otherwise, this is a very good arrangement that would satisfy my parents and your obligations, but I don't want to lose my respect for you. I really think I will if this is what the rest of our relationship is going to be like. I feel like I'm alone even when you're right there next to me." Even though she was wearing gloves that matched the dress, she could feel her knuckles turning white as her hands gripped her skirt tighter than ever.

"If obligation is the only reason you can force yourself through a courtship, I'm going to ask you to keep searching for a girl that won't mind so much. Because I do mind." 'Father is going to kill me for sabotaging this match, but I can't keep pretending being invisible is nothing to get upset over.'

"… Haru? I'm sorry," he finally managed to say after a long, painful silence that was only disturbed by the clopping hooves and the voices of people as they passed by a number of houses that were clearly occupied. "This situation wasn't fair to you. It isn't fair at all," he added bitterly.

"No, it isn't," Haru agreed, only relaxing a little since he now understood her turmoil. "So what do we do from here?"

"… To be honest, I don't know," he admitted, making the seat emit a slight sound as he fully leaned against the back of it. "I made a plan last year, I was sticking to the plan, but… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken it for granted that you wouldn't be that displeased at being with me."

If it were under literally any other circumstances, Haru would have been gleeful at this admission that she was easily his second choice during his mourning period, even though their interactions before the courtship were a bit limited. She tried to think of something to say, but it was as if the cries of a bat colony flying not that far away were-

Without warning Baron lunged for the box in front of his seat and pulled out a Winchester gun. Even as she gasped in surprise, her suitor half leaned out of the window and began firing at the flying specks, which were now scattering as a few of their number fell from the sky. Shouts of surprise were clearly audible as people both ran from what could be trouble and came running to see what the trouble was.

"What are you doing?!" she demanded as she quickly covered her ears, since she had never seen him act like this. What she also found horrifying was that the driver, Baron's driver, had done little more than soothe the suddenly startled horses without much comment.

This was his first time escorting her for an event held at night. This was a habit for him!

He ran out of shots and was reaching for the box for more ammunition before his eyes suddenly trailed to Haru, and he stopped cold, as if a policeman had caught him robbing a bank.

Haru stared at him with wide eyes, not really afraid for herself as much as what could have possibly started this behavior.

His green eyes made a slow trail between his gun and the young woman he had been failing to court properly. "… I can't explain this," he said quickly, but then stopped and tried again almost frantically. "That is… no, I really can't explain this. I can't abide bats anymore," he finally managed a bit helplessly while drawing a curtain over his window in embarrassment since he had just noticed passersby were also looking at him with terrified confusion.

Haru kept staring at him silently, trying to understand his behavior as she lowered her hands from her ears now that it was clear he wasn't going to fire again. When she was a young child, she was afraid of them herself, but she had grown up since then and wasn't going to keep jumping every time a bat flew close to her window. That was what curtains were for.

But Baron said 'anymore'. This had to be a new development, since this would have scared off Louise in a heartbeat. She'd even give some thought to asking him to see a doctor, but the doctor best suited for the intervention had also made a try for Louise's hand and had gone on that vague trip that Quinton Norris never returned from. Dr. Steward likely wouldn't have been much help at all under these circumstances.

Baron gave her a despairing look while ashamedly putting the gun back into the box. "If I didn't botch things before, that's certainly done it," he scolded himself, slamming the lid shut with one foot. Then he heaved a big sigh. "Just say the word, Haru, and I'll never darken your doorway again."

The young woman stared at him, still not sure what to make of his behavior. Although it was unladylike, she couldn't help biting her lip before asking a simple question. "Baron, do you believe I respect you?"

"You probably did before you saw that," he admitted miserably.

"You know that I at least partially know the reasons you wouldn't wish what happened last year on anyone?"

"Absolutely," he answered without hesitation and a bit more iron than before.

"Do you believe that I want you to be happy?" she asked point blank. "To experience peace again?"

He looked up at her, trying to read her face. "I've never once seen or heard evidence to the contrary."

She held her hands out to him. "Then, as at least a friend, will you be willing to do one small favor for me?"

He was startled at the gesture, but placed his hands in hers a bit slowly, as if expecting a sudden outburst from her. "What is it you want?"

Haru took in another steadying breath, since there was a chance she was going too far. "Baron, I didn't want to have this discussion with you. I don't like confrontation, especially when… I'm genuinely fond of the other person, so I understand this is going to be a hard task for you. I want you to take a week or two to yourself and ask yourself the hard questions that I think you've been avoiding."

He flinched like she had taken a lash at him with a whip.

But she squeezed his hands and pressed on. "This isn't for me, it's for you. We both know Louise loved you too much to want you miserable the rest of your life without her, but I want you to think about what you want, what you need, and if possible, how to make it happen. When you've got a clearer head and are sure of what you want, let me know, so that I'll know what to do from there."

Baron stared at her like he couldn't believe his ears. Then his eyes seemed to be too glossy in the moonlight, and he suddenly tugged her close enough to press a kiss to her brow. "Louise was right. Louise was right."

Haru blinked as her cheeks warmed from the gesture, since she wasn't completely sure why that was the right thing to say at the moment. Her confusion must have been clear when he released her, because his smile was more radiant than it had been since before the funeral.

"When Louise was dying, she begged me to give you a chance when she was gone, because you didn't wait to be in a relationship with me to fight for my happiness, even if it was just standing aside when things were clear between me and her."

Haru looked down, feeling her cheeks turn even redder that her friend had apparently kept nothing from her fiancé. "She could have kept that little thing from you," she muttered under her breath.

"I'm glad she didn't." He pressed one more kiss to her hair before releasing her hands. After a minute, he sighed. "I think I'll take you up on that request. I really should have taken care of those questions before involving you."

Her cheeks were still red from the small samples of affection he was finally granting her, but she managed a smile before arranging herself to sit a bit more appropriately. "Thank you for not getting angry over me involving Louise in the discussion."

"There's nothing to be angry about," he assured her with a soft smile. "Especially when I know you're completely correct. Thank you, this will be the last time I disappoint you."

Haru wasn't certain if that meant he was still planning on the courtship after he had his time to soul-search, or if that would still be his plan at that point but decided not to worry about it since he'd heard her real concerns loud and clear.

Though if she had to be honest with herself, she was hoping that he'd give courting her a more genuine effort than he had before. "Oh, Baron?" she suddenly remembered, making him perk up a little to pay attention. "Maybe I should take your gun from you. There's a bat colony not that far from my home, and my parents will not be amused."

He flinched again, giving the box a look that she'd seen wine lovers give that last bottle they knew they shouldn't touch. "Perhaps if it's closer to you?" he asked a bit timidly while nudging it towards her with one foot.

She willingly leaned over and tucked it close to her legs before letting her skirt fall over it so that it was at least out of his line of sight. "If you decide you do want to call on me again, daylight hours might be best. My father doesn't always have patience when it's the mind that needs to heal."

Baron blinked at her. "How did that not scare you off?" he asked with true curiosity. "The only woman I thought it wouldn't scare off is one that indulges in this as well, as does her husband."

Haru raised an eyebrow but decided not to ask questions and take the risk. "Thanks to that bat colony and teasing from some of my old playmates… my childhood bogeyman was vampires," she admitted a bit shamefully.

His beautiful green eyes went large at the admission, and his breath was caught in his throat.

"Father didn't have a lot of patience with me every time a bat would tap against my window as a child, so I had to do little things on my own just to be able to sleep," Haru continued, staring at her lap again and hoping he'd understand. "There's a wreath on my window made of wild rose branches, and it's got a crucifix on it. Even now, I keep a crucifix somewhere on me for my own peace of mind," she admitted while holding up one of her gloves so that he could see the embroidered symbol resting on her wrist.

"When there's visibly garlic on the menu, I indulge myself. Plus I was never fond of mice, and bats are more or less mice with wings. So, although you definitely startled me, I've got my own reasons not to be that upset about your… hobby. But I would appreciate a little warning from now on before you start shooting." Now that her dirty little secret was out in the open, she dared a peek at his reaction.

He was beaming at her like he could hardly believe his luck! With one hand, he pulled just enough on the collar of his finely pressed shirt and bowtie to extract with one finger a small portion of what she immediately recognized as rosary beads.

He was wearing a crucifix as well!

"Someday, Haru, maybe I'll tell you how much you sealed your fate this night," he informed her with more warmth than ever before, actually scooting closer so that he could take her hand and hold it tight for the rest of the ride.

In a very real sense, he never did let go of it.