A/N Jeez, I have never been more inspired to write than working on this story. This is perhaps my favorite chapter to date, as well as the most romantic... except for the one that comes a couple after this that I have already written... Anyways, read and review!

Chapter Seven:
Don't Let Me Down

The bright sunshine spilled into Van Helsing's room. He was sitting on his bed, having just opened the curtains, contentedly watching the liquid gold coating his belongings. He couldn't remember the last time he had just sat there and enjoyed the sunrise, and for the first time ever, he realized that he had something to look forward to.
He had fallen in love with Anna in a time of strife and chaos. He hadn't had that delicious time to fall asleep thinking about her and wake up with her still on his mind. He hadn't been able to look at her and have that special, warm feeling fill up his being, he had only been able to look at her to make sure she was still alive, then look back at his foe. And now, with Analiese, it was like having Anna back... except there were no evils to be vanquished. He could fall in love with her at leisure, savor every moment, and have fun while doing so. This wasn't just a mission, this was a gift from God in thanks of his hard work!
Part of him, that doubting, bitter part that could never fully be exorcized, wondered if it was right of him to love her as he did. To love her as Anna. In so many ways, she was so much like her descendant, but she was a different person with a different soul. Was it wrong to love someone as a different person?
But then, he discovered, how could something that felt so right be wrong? As he smiled and began to stretch, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in." Van Helsing called, turning to face his visitor. It was Carl. "Good morning Carl!" He beamed.
"I hate to spoil your good mood, I really do, but I found some things out from James yesterday that I think you should know." Carl said with uncharacteristic graveness.
"You and I seem to have switched places. Usually I am the somber one and you're the happy one. Lighten up! What can go wrong?" Van Helsing replied blithely.
"Lots can go wrong, I discovered. I think I know what happened last time... why you killed Dracula. You-" Carl was cut off by his friend.
"Look, Carl, if it's the mission that's got you worried, I think you should stop worrying. I killed him last time and escaped with my life, right? All I have to do is just live this through just the way it happened last time and he died. I'm not worrying about that because.. I'm happy. I'm finding out about myself. And I feel whole for the first time in so long because when I'm around Analiese... it's like I have Anna again." He fell quiet, looking away.
"But, Van Helsing, she's-" Carl began urgently, but Van Helsing cut him off once more.
"Please, Carl. Don't." He said a note of desperation entering his voice. "Don't break me again."
"Will you listen to what I have to say about your friends?" asked the Friar tiredly. Van Helsing would not meet his eyes and gave no answer, so he simply sighed. "At least listen to this. You should be worried. Things aren't the same as last time. Dracula isn't your friend, he's not going to wait for the things that first set you at each other's throats to arise again, he's really out to kill you this time around. Please be careful, Gabriel. I'm afraid you've grown blind and will get hurt. Don't fail me." As he turned to walk out the door, he pushed roughly past Dracula, who gave him a quizzical stare before entering. Van Helsing, his head resting against one hand and his back to the door, said nothing.
"Lover's quarrel?" Dracula asked jokingly.
"He's my best friend, Vlad. Nothing more." Van Helsing said hoarsely, not taking his eyes off the window.
"You know I believe you. Sometimes the opportunity is just too golden to not try and goad a smile out of you." Dracula smiled.
"Why have you come?" asked Gabriel quietly.
"I never thought I needed a reason." He said, a little muddled, hurt even. "But I had hoped we could take a ride this morning... just the two of us."
"Certainly." said the other in a monotone. "I'll meet you in the stables in a few minutes."
When Van Helsing did meet Dracula in the stables a few minutes later, he was much more cheerful. Despite their good moods and the gloriousness of the spring morning, they rode in silence until they reached a huge field all covered in red flowers. It was a picturesque scene: the waving grass, the scattered trees, the Carpathian Mountains in the distance and the majestic castle at their backs. As they entered the fields they slowed, and turned their horses to face one another. Similar emotions were on their faces, ones of pain and confusion. Why do we face each other as enemies now? Where did we go wrong? Breaking taut moment, Van Helsing bent and picked one of the flowers at the tips of the grass, twisting it thoughtfully through his fingers.
"These are Analiese's favorites." He said impulsively, picking a few more.
"It'll make her furious if you give them to her, though." Dracula replied quickly, circling his horse around to the front of his friends. "You know how she hates being seen as feminine. I found out she liked them and brought her a bouquet once... She would scarcely speak to me for days after. Here-" He shook them out of Van Helsing's hands like so many drops of blood. "Let us leave them here where they will be better appreciated. And Gabriel...." He looked away, back at the castle, with longing in his eyes. "Let's neither of us pursue Analiese. We are happy as we are, we don't need a woman."
"I understand." Van Helsing said distantly, looking around with a listless expression.
"Gabriel, swear to me." Dracula said, moving closer to Van Helsing and laying his hand on his shoulder. "Don't let me down on this." He said fearfully. With that, he turned his horse away and began to ride back.
"Vlad!" called the other. "Don't you want to ride on some more?"
"It'll be time for breakfast soon. I'm getting hungry." Dracula shouted back, not slowing. Van Helsing sighed and bent again, picking another bunch of flowers and tucking them inside his vest where Vlad would not see them, then he smiled and clicked to his horse.

The flowers still in hand, Van Helsing went up to Analiese's door. It was just after breakfast, a more sober affair than usual, and she had gone to her room to get ready for the day. After a steadying breath, he knocked. Analiese opened promptly, just pulling her black tunic down over her head. She leaned against the doorframe, smiling.
"I hope I am not interrupting you." Van Helsing said calmly, his hands behind his back.
"A few moments earlier and you would've been. Are you so eager to- Oh!" She caught her breath and gave a cry of delight as a smiling Van Helsing handed her the small bunch of red flowers. "Gabriel! You must've had to get up so early to get me these!" She said as she accepted them, girlish glee alight in her eyes.
"What makes you think I went through that trouble just for you?" He asked mysteriously. The girlish glee faded and her face took on a different, almost seductive cast.
"What would you have me think?" She asked in a low voice, twirling the flowers.
"I would have you think of taking a walk with me." Van Helsing said with a mock gallant air, offering his arm to her.
"I would think yes." Analiese smiled, taking his arm.
As they walked down the hall, Vladislaus Dracula slumped against the wall. The bunch of flowers he had rushed out to pick for her after breakfast slipped out of his hand as he watched the two walk away.

Arm in arm, they walked around the castle, joking as they went. After a while, Van Helsing grew quiet and solemn. Once they passed behind the castle, where the grass grew taller, Analiese pulled him out of the castle's shadow.
"You seem lost in thought. What are you thinking of?" She asked, her head tipped to one side.
"I'm thinking of how many promises I must keep. It seems I hae an oath to everyone today... to Carl, to Vlad. Why, I even have a promise to keep to you, Analiese." He said lightly.
"What owe you to me?" She asked bewilderedly.
"Yesterday I asked you what you thought of me and you told me 'ask me that tomorrow.'" He had been circling around her and now he stopped before her, tipping her head up. "What do you think of me?" He asked solemnly. With a sly grin, Analiese stepped away and began to circle him, watching him out of the corner of her eye.
"You're... tall." She said in a measured voice, now observing him as one might appraise a horse. "...dark in more ways than one." With a laugh, he turned quickly to face her as she passed behind him, causing her to squeal and jump. "But for all your dark, you're playful too!" Now she stopped moving and stood before him. A warm breeze lifted her rich hair, the sunlight sparkled in her eyes, and the grasses waved sensually around her hips. "You defend those who need defending. You have a strong sense of honor, of duty. You're loyal and independent..." Her voice trailed off, and she remained there, watching him. "And thought I've known you all my life, I feel like I could never know you well enough."
An unreadable look on his face, Van Helsing stepped closer to her and brushed some of her hair out of her face, resting his hand lightly on her cheek. Unconsciously, she leaned into his touch and closed her eyes. She spent so much time being cold and coy, playing games and avoiding real love. But this warmth... Oh, this could get addictive...
Just as suddenly and inexplicably as he had touched her, Van Helsing withdrew and began to walk away. Analiese called out.
"I told you what I thought of you. What do you think of me?"
Van Helsing turned slowly, regarding her. The wind was still teasing her hair and her black blouse; she held the flowers close to her chest. The fire in the black of night... He thought.
"Ask me that tomorrow." He said with a debonair grin before walking away.
Alone, Analiese lay down smiling in the grass, the flowers to her nose. She was a gypsy and a huntress, she lived for the thrill of the chase. But she knew that Gabriel Van Helsing would be a tricky quarry. Of all the men she'd met, she had always known that his was the only mystery that could match hers.
Her smile widened. He would not disappoint her in this hunt. She was ready for his challenge.

A/N Wow, that seemed so much longer when I wrote it down in my notebook... anyway, we are nearing the climax of this plot! Next chapter starts it! Also, I have planned out all the chapters for this story... And note that above I say THIS plot, since there is another after this. It looks like this story will be somewhere around 21 chapters, counting the prologue. Review pwease!