Pippi had been excited to visit Transylvania, ecstatic even to go travel to the foreign land. She'd never been outside of Duckburg's general area, let alone travel on an airplane overseas. The seven year old mentally rejoiced at the notion of getting to learn about a new land, see some of its sights, and if she was lucky, dive into a library of books she hadn't read before.

Her fathers, however, seemed less excited than her. In fact, the pair seemed out right nervous as they stepped out of the vintage carriage into the square of a quaint village, glancing around at the passerbys and tugging at their collars. If they didn't want to stand out, she thought, they shouldn't have dressed in costumes.

"Why did you have to wear the cape again, dad?" Pippi pulled at her father's purple cloak, snapping him out of his distracted trance. "You look silly."

"Hey now, you didn't think it was silly when you used to carry it around like a blanket." Duckula pulled up his cape to examine it. "Fact, I don't think I ever really got out all the stains."

"I did varn you about letting a toddler play vith it." Goosewing chuckled and picked up their luggage. "You could've let her play vith her actual blanket, but you insisted-"

"It was adorable, how could I stop my little girl from having fun?" Pippi groaned at the coddling nature her father had, but took his hand as they walked regardless.

As the pair exchanged fond and rather embarrassing memories of her youth, Pippi looked at all the sights around her. She wondered where they would visit first? A store? Perhaps check in at the inn they were staying at? Actually, come to think of it, she wasn't certain where they were staying for their vacation.

She curiously eyed her parents as they walked farther away from the village they arrived at and began walking up a tall hill as if they'd done it many times before. Maybe they had; Pippi was aware the two had spent many years in Transylvania. Despite her immense desire to ask questions, the young girl fell silent at the sight of a large and intimidating castle creeping closer and closer into her field of vision.

The building was breathtaking. The hand that wasn't being held gently by Duckula began shaking by her side, excitement building up in her, desperate to get out. If they had a chance to visit such a magnificent place, then her trip was already made.

Just as she was about to ask her parents if they were going inside, she felt the hold on her hand tighten ever so slightly. Looking up, she saw Duckula stare up at the door with a familiar face. It was the face he had when they first arrived, the face he had when they got on the airplane, and the face he had when he first told her about their travel plans.

Hesitation and fear.

"My love…" Duckula took a breath, not realizing he'd been walking backwards until his husband pressed his hand against his back. "You don't have to do this if you do not vant to."

"Otto, you know I-" He shook his head, letting go of Pippi's hand and holding it to his chest. "…I have to do this. I want to do this. For us."

Goosewing frowned at his partner's shaking hands, and held them, kissing them lightly. "Then I vill be right here."

Duckula smiled fondly, and took a deep breath as he stepped forward to the entrance way. He held up his fist, intending to knock against the wood before pausing and looking at Pippi. She stared up at him confused.

"…Otto, dear do you think you could-"

"Oh, right, right."

Pippi made a small noise as her father picked her up and carried her a few steps away from the door. Duckula gave her a small wave to assure her that everything was alright, but she was still not convinced. Even she could tell something was up. He gave the door three sharp raps, and waited to hear the familiar noises within.

"I've got it! Don't you fret now, I've got it!" Duckula took a step back as he heard the voice grow closer. In an instant, the door was pried off of its handles, startling Pippi who grasped onto Goosewing's coat in surprise as a large woman appeared with the door in hand. He patted Pippi's back in comfort. "Now who is it this time, I-"

Nanny's voice stopped at the sight before her. A person she hadn't seen in years stared up at her with a hesitant grin, waving a hand. She dropped the door she was still holding.

"H-Hi, Nanny. Don't suppose you remember-"

"My little Duckyboo! " The woman yelled and scooped Duckula up with her good arm, pressing him close to her despite his squeaks of protest. Goosewing continued to reassure his child that everything was alright, though admittedly he was also trying to tell himself that. "Oh, you've finally come home! You drove your Nanny sick with worry, you did!"

"I-I'm sorry, Nanny, I did mean to call, honest!" He lied, having only decided to revisit his old life months prior when Pippi questioned her heritage. "Now, please may you put me down-!"

"Oh, mister Igor, the young master is back with us!" She called out into the echoing interior, not processing much else as she kept her grip. "Come and have a look! Oh, he hasn't changed a bit he hasn't!"

"Really, Nanny, whatever creature you've mistaken for the master this time hardly deserves your suffocation. At least let me torture them in a more amusing manner, I-" A vulture stood beside Nanny, his eyes widening as he began to shake. "M-my word, it really is-!"

"Yes, yes, hello Igor," Duckula waved his hand, and rolled his eyes. "Great to see you and all, but can you please get Nanny to let go already?"

"Of course, sir, right away." Igor cleared his throat and pointed at the woman, getting her attention. "Nanny. Drop him."

"Oh well there's no need to be treatin' me like that, silly me." She scoffed, and released her hold. Duckula bounced as he landed on the ground roughly, groaning at the pain. Standing up, he wiped the dirt off of his purple suit.

"Right, now that that's dealt with, there's something-"

"Oh, master! Where had you run off to!" Duckula spluttered as he was pulled into a hug by his former butler. Affection was never Igor's forte, but he supposed absence made the man's cold heart even the smidgen bit fonder. Regardless, he was getting sick of being held like a doll. "I had thought the worst, that you had been slain and we wouldn't have even known about it-!"

"Yes, well, as much as I imagine you would've loved me turn into a pile of dust so my next life could be "a proper vampire "," he spat out the words with disdain, and elbowed his way out of the grasp. Duckula stood up straight, eyeing the two people he once thought family. "I'm fine . I'm more than fine actually, I'm happy."

"Oh, that's very good to hear, my lord, you must tell us of your adventures inside. I'm sure Nanny can put on the kettle-"

"Wait! I'm not-!" Duckula gulped and wrung his hands together. "I'm not…alone."

Igor raised a brow at that. "Did you find yourself a meal you'd like me to escort inside, sir?"

"You know very well I did no such thing-"

"Oh, my!" Nanny cooed, her cheeks turning red as she clapped her hands in glee. "My little Duckyboo got himself married!"

"Huh?" He blinked. How on Earth did-! How could she have-! "How'd you know?"

"You've got that ring on, you have! Sparkles like the sun, it does!" Nanny giggled as she pointed at the golden band he'd been fumbling with. His cheeks lit up in realization, and instinctively put his hands behind his back. "Oh, tell me about the lovely lass! I want to hear all about the gal who swept you off your feet!"

"Oh, well, it's not a girl."

"Quite right, Nanny. The master could've enamored the heart of any creature, not exclusively the female gender."

"Well, don't I look silly, of course!" She corrected herself. "Now who's the lucky soul then?"

"Yes, well." Duckula froze, and suddenly all his anxiety came rushing back to him. This was probably the hardest part. "You see. Well, the thing is…you know him already."

"Is that right?" Igor mused. "Is he the company to whom you referred to? A new addition to the Duckula legacy?"

Oh, if that wasn't the verbal stake in the heart -

"That…vould be me, Igor." Goosewing stepped forward, bowing slightly as he stood by his husband's side. Duckula looked confused before noting a gesture that showed Pippi was hiding away behind her father's coat, a bit frightened it seemed. "I…trust you haven't been forgetting me, have you?"

"It's that fellow that would chase my Duckyboo around for hours!" Nanny gave Igor a firm smack on his back as she recalled. "Oh, always with those silly toys of his! Wonder what he's been up to all this time."

"N-Nanny," Igor spluttered at the sight of a similar ring on Goosewing's finger. He shuddered at the thought, but the facts were in front of him, clear as day. "I…I believe Dr Von Goosewing here… married our master."

"He did." Duckula stated firmly. Just saying that felt like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. He couldn't help himself from gushing. "And I married him. A-and I love him, and he loves me!"

"Dear…" Goosewing whispered, cheeks turning bright red.

"We live together, far away from here. We have a lovely home with a lovely garden, where I grow vegetables and never am I forced to try meat! I-I perform music, and people like it! It's…online and no one knows my face, but still! And-And you wanna know what else! I even have a daughter! A wonderful, amazing daughter! " Pippi squeaked at being mentioned, but refused to leave from her hiding spot, clinging to the fabric still. "They are my family , and I am happy!"

Duckula panted from his outburst, silence overcoming the group as he did. He felt his husband rub at his back as he calmed down, but he could only stare ahead at his former servants. The seconds felt like hours, and he swallowed as he waited for a response.

"Well now, that's just a delight!" Nanny laughed, stepping forward towards them. Duckula dreaded another hug, but felt relieved as she simply placed her good hand on top of Goosewing's head and ruffled the feathers under his cap. The man became dazed from the shaking but seemed otherwise alright. "You've made a fine man of my little Duckyboo, have you?"

"Yes, I mean no, I mean-!" Goosewing coughed, easing his nerves. "Duckula has become a fine man on his own. I'm just lucky to be there to see it."

"Awww…" Duckula cooed, playfully nudging his partner. "You like me."

"We've been married for nine years now."

"Still." He giggled as Goosewing rolled his eyes at him. Duckula glanced over at Igor, still standing in the doorway with an expression he couldn't quite make out. He walked over to the man, and held himself as he spoke. "Igor."

"Master."

"I-I know all this…goes against the whole Count Duckula legacy, but…" He bit at his beak, suddenly incapable of looking the other in the eye. "…they're my family. And…I wanted to welcome them into my old home. If you'll… let me… that is."

Igor said not a word, only reaching forward and patting Duckula's shoulder firmly. He'd grown since he'd left the castle all those years ago, he noted. He'd grown in many ways. "My lord, you and your family are always welcome to the castle. I will never turn away a member of the Duckula line from their home."

Duckula's eyes lit up at that, and gave a small smile. "Thank you."

"Oh, mister Igor, just look at the new young mistress here! She's the loveliest lass I ever did see!"

Hearing his daughter's noise of panic, Duckula turned sharply. "Nanny, don't pick up Pippi! That's an order, she doesn't like strangers!"

Pippi ran towards her other father, quickly finding refuge by wrapping herself in his cape like she did in her younger years. Duckula knelt down and patted her head, assuring her things were fine before unclasping his cape and picking her up in his arms with the blanket around her. He kissed her forehead and she relaxed.

"So, this is the young mistress is it?" Pippi instinctively grabbed at Duckula's shirt, resulting in a pained groan from the duck from his feather being pulled in the process. "I am Igor, butler of your castle, my lady."

"M-my castle?" She glanced behind the man and saw the magnificent hallway. Pippi blinked and looked up at her dad. "My castle?" She repeated.

"Well, where else were we going to stay, my princess?" Duckula laughed as his daughter swatted at his face for the nickname. "Come, let dad show you around. Nanny, can you put on the kettle for tea, please?"

"Oh, of course, love. Anything for you." Nanny picked up the luggage that Goosewing had carried with ease and gestured for him to enter first. "Off you go, er…step-master! Best by with your family now!"

"R-right." He stammered, and followed them in with a hurry. He whispered to his partner. "It's been a long time since I entered this place."

"Been the first time you entered this place through the front door properly invited, that's for sure." Duckula teased, as Pippi looked around the rooms in absolute awe.

His old familiar home, with his new familiar family.