By the way, I haven't forgotten about "Best left buried", I have simply put the story on hold for a while. My muse has abandoned me, but I hope to retrieve it soon. So stay tuned on that one...

Now for review responses:

Reese Sparrow: Well I would certainly hope for it to be enjoyable, that is it's purpose after all. Yes, well Anna's got some things in store for her monster hunter, I can assure you. She's very mischievous, that gypsy.

Spaztic Arwen: Your wish is my command... Enjoy

The Britches: Yes, I was surprised to see her with a cat, I thought maybe it was her daughters. It's a tiny little thing. I've seen the picture twice, one said she'd just taken it to the vet... Anyway, I'm writing as quickly as it comes to me. I'm glad you like it. Here's the next chapter!

Liz-Bathory7: Yes ma'am!

SilverFlover: Glad to have a reviewer! I'm glad you enjoyed the beginning, fluff is the best! As a Gabriel/Anna writer and fan, I can't really grasp the concept of not liking them... I'm flattered that you like my fic though! Happy Holidays!!!

Hollysgirl: I'm glad you like it, please don't die!!! Here's chapter two! Stat! (lol)

Vampyric Lycan: I'm jealous! I want a new computer! Yes, ma'am and a Merry Christmas to you too!

"Gabriel" a husky voice whispered, warm breath brushing Van Helsing's face. He frowned, not bothering to open his eyes. The feather-light touches of Anna's soft fingers skimmed across his cheeks and chin. Followed by the feel of her warm mouth against his chin.

"Gabriel" Anna called again, lounging on top of her husband's chest. Resting her chin in the palm of one hand, she flicked her free fingers on his nose. He grunted and peeked an eye open, she smiled brightly.

"Why must you torment me?" he groaned, even as he slipped his arms around her waist. She dropped her hand from her face onto his chest and tilted her head to the side.

"I'm sorry love, what could I do to make it up to you?" she asked innocently, smiling wider when he peeked his other eye open.

"Huh?" was all he could manage, watching her warily, wide awake now, and expecting some sort of mischief. She laughed as she figured the direction of his thoughts, his eyes closed again as she bent her head. Her soft lips lightly brushed his, then she started to pull back. Gabriel had other ideas.

Putting his heavy hand against the back of her head, he yanked her back down and deepened the kiss. Eventually deciding he probably should let her breath he broke away from her. "Good morning" he rumbled, squinting to see her face in the early morning sunshine.

"Good morning sleepy" she greeted cheerily, he shook his head at her odd mood.

"If you plan on getting anything done today I seriously suggest that you get off of me" he said, voice still rough and deep with sleep. Her eyes danced merrily as she stared down at him, playfully skimming fingers along his naked chest.

"And if I don't?" she purred, slim, cool, fingers teasing his ribcage. She bit her lip to keep from laughing at the face he made. Gaining control of his ticklishness as best he could, he glared up at her.

"We won't get any Christmas stuff done" he suggested, hoping she would take the hint. She didn't. In fact she did just the opposite, digging her fingers in deeper to her husbands ticklish side. His muscles flexed beneath her finger tips, his whole body shaking with barely suppressed mirth.

A few chuckles escaped his lips, as he desperately tried to push her tickling hands away. Obviously enjoying being in control, Anna took an almost bored look, blowing a curl out of her eyes while her husband writhed beneath her.

"Damn it, Anna!" Gabriel barked, fighting to control his reaction to her tickling. She simply laughed, but thankfully stopped her teasing. He sighed beneath her, then suddenly rolled over, pinning the laughing gypsy beneath him.

"Right, let's see how you like it" he growled, launching his tickling attack at her ribs and stomach.

"Oh, no, no don't!" she gasped, squealing when he intensified his attack. Her soft satin nightgown proving to be little protection from her husbands learned fingers. Through her laughter, she was secretly enjoying their play, they hardly ever had a chance to have fun anymore. Tickle fights were not common practice to monster hunters. Gabriel rarely ever appeared as he did now, carefree and playful, eyes full of light and love. He laughed at her, a sound also rarely heard, Anna cherished it, not knowing when she would hear it again.

She positively howled beneath him, wriggling desperately, trying to evade his strong fingers. He finally stopped, eyes aglow with a devilish light,

"Not so fun is it?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her flushed appearance. She panted for air beneath him, still grinning foolishly,

"No" she admitted, though they both knew she was lying. It was fun, and they both would rather die then acknowledge they'd enjoyed it immensely.

"Now get off of me, you big brute, we've got to get the manor decorated" she said, giving him a shove. He climbed off of her and helped her out of the soft mattress. She turned and on habit began to straighten up the sheets and pillows, Gabriel shook his head.

"I still don't understand why you bother, we're just going to climb back into it and mess them up all over again" he stated, searching the clothing on the floor for a shirt. Anna shrugged and continued to tidy up their bed,

"I just like it to look nice" she explained, while placing a pillow back at the headboard. She glanced over her shoulder at him,

"I don't understand why you knock your pillow off the bed," she mused walking to his side off the grand bed. Picking up the discarded soft lump of white and setting it back in it's proper place.

"Simple, you're a much nicer pillow" he commented, pulling on his snug fitting shirt. Anna tuned around, eyeing him appreciatively, he caught her look and winked at her.

She looked down at her nightgown and frowned, the red satin was not exactly appropriate for hanging decorations. It probably wasn't appropriate period. She looked at her husbands pants enviously, then the thought hit her, why couldn't she?

Carl looked up from tinkering with his latest invention when he heard someone walking by. Anna and Gabriel snuck by his bedroom door, Anna leading her husband by the hand. Carl noted she was wearing a pair of the monster hunter's pants and a matching shirt. All which hung off her slim frame loosely, quite a difference to her usual skin tight apparel.

He shook his head bemusedly, and went back to his new toy.

"They don't have to be quite so obvious about it" he grumbled, taking a screwdriver to the weapon. Oil spurted out onto his face.

"Anna, where are we going?" Gabriel whined as she dragged him about the house. She didn't answer, just tugged on his hand and continued down the stairs at the back of the manor. He took the opportunity to leer at her, dressed in his over sized clothing, for some reason he could think of it as nothing other then sexy. He was about to voice his thought on the matter, when she stopped in front of him.

He looked up at the door in front of him, there were chains across it, her fingers tightened around his.

"What's this?" he asked intrigued, Anna didn't take her eyes off the door.

"My father never told me, it was forbidden to go in there" she whispered. Her free hand reached out and tentatively brushed the worn door. Gabriel dropped her hand and started to work on the chains.

"What are you doing?" she asked, staring at him wide eyed, he shrugged and ripped the chain from the flimsy door frame.

"You're curious, I'm curious, and I know that I, for one, will not be able to live not knowing what's in here," he explained. She didn't try to stop him, standing back so he could rip the other chain from the frame. He looked at her, as though to ask permission, she nodded and he swung the door open.

They both stared, matching expressions of shock on both their faces.

"This is, this is" Van Helsing stuttered, taking a hesitant step foreword into the dust covered room.

"Dracula's bedroom" Anna whispered, following her husband into the room that had once housed the vampire. The large and ornate carving of 'VD' gave away whose room this was. Along with the eerily evil feel the room contained, it fairly reeked of it. The musty smell of dust and mildew assaulted their senses, the door had obviously been sealed shut for some while. Anna stiffened and gripped Van Helsings arm as she noted several spider webs. The room was cavernous, to say the least, and grand, old rusted swords hung from the walls. Various torture devices decorated the mantle on the fireplace, above which hung a portrait of Valerious the Elder. Discarded bottles of whiskey and even a half full glass sat on the dresser.

"Anna, do you have any more chains?" Gabriel asked slowly, grabbing her elbow and pulling her out of the chamber.

"Yes, I'm sure, why?" she asked, still staring around in wonder. He didn't answer at first, pulling her all the way out into the hallway, then firmly closed the door.

"We're locking this back up, I don't want-" he swallowed, still staring at the door. "I don't want anyone going in there" he finally finished, it then dawned on Anna what he meant. Children, he didn't want their children to go in there. She nodded slowly, staring into his gaze, letting him know she understood.

"I'll ask Vasile if he can find some, I'm sure Cristi and Grigori can help him board this up" she said, looking back at the door. She caught Gabriel's hand and grinned shakily up at him,

"Come on, let's go get the Christmas decorations."

Anna stood before another door, shaking this time for a completely different reason. If Gabriel noted that she was shaking, he didn't comment.

"Anna? You going to open the door?" he asked gently, she nodded, looked up at him and nodded again.

"Uh, huh," she said, reaching her fingers out to touch the doorknob. Inhaling swiftly she twisted the knob, then shoved the door open. She hadn't been in her parents bedroom since they'd died.

"Papa? Where's Mama?" a little voice asked, Boris turned to his youngest, heart tearing. Anna stared up at him, the miniature picture of her mother, soft curls, hazel eyes, and pale skin. The King of the gypsies closed his eyes tightly, he knew she'd ask eventually, but how was he going to explain. How do you tell your five-year-old daughter that her mother was killed by a demon? A demon she was related to and would have to kill someday if he couldn't.

He swallowed back the tears and pasted what he hoped was a smile on his face, looking back down on her little face.

'Belle, how do I do this without you?' he thought desperately. Reaching out he lifted his little girl into his lap, she put her dainty five-year-old hands on his chest. Hazel eyes stared up at him in question, he kissed her forehead soothingly.

"Anna your mama-" his voice cracked, he swallowed again, "Your mama's gone to stay with family for awhile" he choked out. Anna seemed to think on that, her lips puckered in thought. He hugged her tightly, ruffled her curls affectionately and placed her back on the floor.

"Why don't you go ask Miruna about dinner?" he added, she grinned brightly at him and bounded out the door. He slumped in his chair when she was gone, staring up the ceiling brokenly.

Somewhere up there was his wife, unable, just like the rest of his family, to go into heaven until he accomplished his job.

"I'll save you Belle, and if I can't our children will!" he promised, suddenly furious he jumped up quickly from his chair, toppling it. Grabbing a nearby saber, he ran to the window, throwing it open and screaming out into the night.

"I'm coming for you Dracula! I'm coming!"

"I think Mama, kept them in the closet," Anna said, shaking her head and focusing on the present. Gabriel watched her out of the corner of his eyes, stepping fully into the room.

"Which closet? There's only four," he said wryly, heading for the one nearest him. Anna took another deep breath, calming the tears she still felt lingering near the surface. She stepped up to the closet she was closer too, throwing it open, dropping to her knees. She ignored her mothers clothing hanging about her as she rummaged around looking for the Christmas boxes.

"Found them!" she cried, pulling out a positively enormous box. Gabriel's eyes widened as he took in the huge crate.

"All of that!" he yelped, Anna raised an eyebrow and reached back into the closet and pulled out three more of the boxes.

"Close your mouth dear" she teased, standing from the floor, he snapped his mouth close.

"Is all this just for the house?" he asked, bending and picking up a box, surprised to find it not all that heavy. She laughed at him, then realized he was being serious.

"I keep forgetting you've never done this before," she said with a grin, "There are a whole four other boxes for the tree."

She giggled at his expression. Leaning down she picked up another box, piling it on top of the one Gabriel was already holding. She picked up her own box, sliding the other one along the floor as they turned to leave.

She heard Gabriel complaining to himself as he stumbled down the hall in front of her. She stopped inside the door frame, taking one last glimpse at the room full of painful memories, she then firmly shut the door.

"No, try a little higher" Anna commanded, Gabriel grumbled and lifted the festive decoration a little higher. They'd been adjusting the ornament for what felt like hours.

Anna realized it was wrong of her to be enjoying his obvious aggravation at this tedious task. She also realized, with a laugh to herself, that she didn't care, he deserved it. It was good to be at the other end of mischief for once. In truth he'd had the garland almost perfect several times. She just liked making him readjust it.

"No, that's too high, a little lower and to your left some" she called again. Growling the great monster hunter lowered the garland just a hair pulling to his left slightly. He glanced over his shoulder at his wife, who was staring critically at the banister. She grinned brightly,

"There you go! Perfect!" she approved, coming to stand beneath the ladder. Mumbling to himself about what he'd gotten himself into he gingerly climbed from the rickety ladder. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him quickly,

"See isn't this fun? We're starting our own traditions!" she said happily. Gabriel just nodded,

"Does that mean we're done?" he asked hopefully, his face fell at her amused look.

"We haven't even gotten the tree yet" she laughed, he sighed heavily and followed after his gypsy as she danced out of the room.

"Come on, we'll need an axe, and you might want to put on some more clothes, it's snowing outside" she called. Fighting the urge to smack his forehead, Gabriel turned and started up the stairs to retrieve his coat.

Hope you didn't mind all my little flashbacks and what not... Next chapter is going to be lots of fluff and more Anna payback. Don't worry about Gabriel though, he's not going to have a completely horrible Christmas... lol