Explanations

While Ashian and Gabriella were busy packing, Van Helsing made himself at home. He didn't have any luggage to unpack; he'd just be leaving next morning anyway. Instead he went downstairs to get himself something to eat. The dishes had been done, and any left-over food had been thrown out, so he scraped together a meal of warm milk, cheese, and a couple of pieces of bread. It wasn't the most lavish meal, but there wasn't all that much food in Ashian's cabinets. It made sense, though. Ashian was the only person in the house that had to eat on a daily basis, and because she traveled so often it only fit that all her food be the type of stuff that stuck with you in small amounts.

When Van Helsing had finished with his meal he went back upstairs and began to wash up; sort of. Personal hygiene had never been high in his priority list, but seeing Ashian again had made him self-conscious. He got the dirt off his face, and looking in the mirror decided he needed to shave. He never really liked beards, but again, shaving wasn't that high on his priority list.

When he had become halfway presentable, he went back into the lavish room where he had dropped his bag. As he lit one of the lamps he remembered one evening when he and Ashian were out searching for wraiths he had asked her why she seemed so at home in the dark.

Keeping her voice lowered, she had replied, "I can in see in the dark better than I can see in the light." After several more steps she had added, "That probably accounts for why I can only fall asleep in lighted rooms."

Van Helsing had been about to tell her that she might have caught on to something, but the gaggle of gargoyles they had been hunting had swooped down from the trees and attacked. Ever since that night, Van Helsing had found it was actually easier to sleep in the light than the dark.

Van Helsing was shocked back to the present by the shouts and muffled banging that he assumed was Ashian and Gabriella packing.

"GABRIELLA! WHERE ARE THE SILVER STAKES? I CAN'T FIND MY CROSSBOW!"

"IF YOU'D PUT THEM AWAY PROPERLY THIS WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM!" There was a loud thump followed by, "HERE THEY ARE! HERE, I'LL TOSS THEM DOWN!"

Van Helsing winced as he felt the ceiling vibrate. He guessed that Ashian hadn't caught her crossbow.

"AHHHHH! YOU TWIT! YOU NUMB-SKULLED TWIT! NEXT TIME YOU TOSS A TWENTY POUND CROSSBOW AT ME, DON'T AIM FOR MY HEAD!"

There was a series of shattering noises and heavy crashes that sounded like Ashian and Gabriella were tossing vases at each other. Finally the brutal thuds were replaced by bouts of laughter. Knowing Ashian, she had probably fallen flat on her ass in an attempt to avoid a particularly well aimed blow. Van Helsing shook his head and flopped down on the bed. His eyes had almost closed when he heard the fighting started anew.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M NOT GOING TO ROME?!" apparently Gabriella had finally deducted that she wasn't coming.

There was the muffled attempt of Ashian trying to speak rationally, but she had never really been patient and began to shout as well.

"GABBY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE KNIGHTS OF THE HOLY ORDER! THEY'LL STICK A STAKE THROUGH YOU AS SOON AS YOU STEP FOOT IN THE CONFESION BOOTH! THEY MIGHT WORK UNDER THE NAME OF GOD, BUT I DON'T TRUST THEM!"

"YOU'RE GOOD FRIEND VAN HELSING WORKS FOR THEM!"

"DO I HAVE TO SPELL IT OUT FOR YOU? I... DON'T... TRUST THEM!" There was a slamming noise as Ashian stormed out of the weapons room.

Vane Helsing sighed and rolled off the bed. He could sleep on the train. He walked out of his room just in time to find Ashian stomping down the stairs. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw him.

"Oh-no; Van Helsing, did you hear that? I thought you were asleep." She hastily wiped tears off her face as she tried to sound light hearted. It didn't work.

Making no move to get out of her way, Van Helsing stayed where he was. "Ashian, I'm tired; not deaf." He waited a couple seconds before broaching the tender subject. "What do you mean you don't trust the Knights of the Holy Order? How do you even know about the Order?"

Ashian rolled her eyes and shouldered past him. "Does it really matter? I know about them, they know about me. That's as far as it goes."

Van Helsing wasn't going to be put off that easily. "Why can't I know? We used to tell each other everything; Ashian, and now you won't even talk about something I obviously have a right to know."

Ashian turned, a confused glazed over her eyes. "Why do you keep doing that?"

Now it was Van Helsing's turn to be confused. "Keep doing what?"

"You keep saying my name. I mean, more than is necessary. You hardly ever called my name, and when you did, it was usually 'You twit! Watch yourself!' or 'Twiggy! Come look at this!' or 'Shut up. He isn't good enough for you anyway.' In fact, if I remember correctly, you were the one who donned me 'Chicken Legs.'"

Van Helsing was beginning to lose his patience. "What on earth does that have to do with the Vatican Church? Stop dodging the subject."

"Answer the question." There was a frosty note in her voice that Van Helsing had seen others pay the price for not heeding. He had suffered for that same mistake.

"Why do I keep saying your name? Because I missed you. I have no idea why, but I missed you." He watched as she visibly defrosted.

Ashian sighed in defeat. "I got a letter two years ago inviting me to join their ranks. However, I declined due to the tendency monks have towards being sexist." Ashian, never one to stand still for very long, began to set aside and examine several knives that lay scattered on her desk. "When they got my response... Well, let's just say that they weren't very happy. I was sent another letter, but this one was from you; allegedly. The basic message was that my dear and long lost friend Gabriel Van Helsing was exceptionally disappointed and wished me a nice stay in Hell. I knew it wasn't real, but it was certainly a shock that you had taken up with overly controlling, pompous fat-heads like them."

Van Helsing couldn't control the look of shock mixed with hurt on his face. "You knew exactly how to find me for two years, and you did nothing about it?"

Ashian look of confusion was beginning to mix with anger. "You're acting as if you didn't know as well. In fact, I assumed you were the one who told them about me in the first place. I want to know what took you so long to stop by. Am I really so annoying that you couldn't at least stop by and put an end to my worrying?" She snatched the wanted poster off her desk and shoved it into Van Helsing's face. "It's not like you haven't been able to come to Paris; that would have made a halfway decent alibi."

Van Helsing lowered the poster with his forefinger. "Do not accuse me of not caring about you. I lost my memory, and the only clue as to who I was was your photograph."

Ashian looked down, either out of embarrassment or pity. "You lost your memory? You don't remember anything?"

Van Helsing ran an exhausted hand through his hair. "It's gotten better. I can remember back about fifty years, but the rest is hazy."

"Oh. I'm sorry. When did it start coming back?" It was obvious that Ashian didn't feel pity, but she did sympathize with Van Helsing. Before she had gotten planted at the Magellan College she hadn't had a past worth remembering, so she didn't try very hard to recall her childhood.

"About eight months ago." Ashian's head shot up in anger, but before she could begin to shout again he added. "The Order might have known about you for two years, but I was told last week. I came here immediately." Before he knew what he was doing, Van Helsing's hand was stroking Ashian's cheek.

Ashian was just as embarrassed as he was. "Um, what time does the train leave tomorrow?"

"Eight o'clock. You'd better get some sleep." Van Helsing headed for the door.

"Van Helsing?" He paused in the doorway with his back turned, but it was obvious that he was listening. "You really missed me?"

Van Helsing couldn't help but let a small smile cross his lips. "Yes, Ashian. I really missed you."