Safe Returns and Many Meetings

Okay so here's the deal. This fan fiction is no longer completely in Anna's POV. Some events will be told the eyes of Van Helsing, Carl and this young woman which I invented the other day and thought of a way to bring her into the story. Okay well here goes. Please r/r! Also I am not sure on the spelling of Valken/Valkan/Velkan/Velken. Can anyone please correct me if it is wrong the way I have spelt it in here as I am not sure how it is spelt!

Disclamer: Okay so I don't own Van Helsing! :sob: Nor any of the characters or places in the movie. :sob: However I do own Gabriella Amtarian as she is my very own character! I am so happy! Man I wish I owned Van Helsing! Or Dracula for that matter! :runs out of the room crying:

Chapter 3

Anna's POV

I had a choice now laid out before me: the hardest decision I have ever had to make. To continue living with those dearest to me or to go to the one whom I loved. I knew that Valken was serious about sacrificing himself. He had always been rather protective over me when we were younger, and loved me greatly. He said once that he would do anything to see me smile again and be happy. And I know now what he meant. As a foolish girl I had thought he was just joking with me. But I know now that he will do it and even though my heart yearns to be with Van Helsing I know that I cannot possibly let Valken go through with it. Even though Van Helsing means a lot to me Valken is dear to me also. He is my brother for god's sake! I cannot let him do such a thing! Could I?

Van Helsing's POV

I can't believe she's really gone. Anna Valesterious dead… I just couldn't believe it! She was possibly the only woman I had ever cared about, and now she's gone. And what makes it worse is the fact that I am the one to blame. I am the one who killed her. Sure I killed Dracula so at least I had helped her family but I still long to see her. I never truly got to tell her how much I loved her, how much I cared for her. I still do but the fact is I missed my chance. I should have took it that night we were at Dracula's castle, right before we split up and Anna went to help Carl, I should have told her how I felt but I didn't and now it is destroying me inside. Sometimes I just want to cry and cry, not caring what anyone else thinks.

Carl is looking at me now. "Van Helsing? Are you all right?" he asked concerned.

I turned to him, "No Carl, I'm not. I just can't believe she's truly gone." I told him quietly.

He stopped his horse and put his hand on my shoulder, "She is with her family now in heaven."

I turned to him, tears now welling up in my eyes, "Oh thanks for that Carl! I never would've figure that out without you!" I shouted sarcastically. He backed away slightly, in fear of my sudden outburst.

I looked at him, "I'm sorry Carl. I… I didn't mean to yell. It just…just…miss her…" I concluded and he nodded in an understanding way. We both sighed and mounted our horses again, ready for another days riding.

Gabriella's POV

I sighed as I directed my horse towards the small village. Everybody turned my way but then some of them looked away when they realised who I was. The truth is I was surprised that anyone remembered me, as it had been many years since I had stayed at Valerious Manor. I sighed now as I remembered the house, it had been so cosy and welcoming until all the trouble with Dracula had started. I looked up at the large house outside of the village and shivered slightly. It brought back memories of Valken. His death had brought me great sorrow but recently I heard rumours that he had returned. I dared not believe it but had rode with all haste from my town anyway. If he was indeed still alive it would be a joyous occasion. I dismounted now and led my horse to the stables. Heads turned as I passed and it made me really uncomfortable. Now a small crowd of people had gathered, as it was accustomed for 'strangers' when they entered the village.

I heard one of them speak, "You. Who are you?" I spun round on my heels and observed them.

"I'm not really surprised you didn't remember me! It has been a long time since I was a guest at Valerious Manor." They all turned to each other confused and began advancing towards me, slowly so I added quickly, "I am Gabriella Amtarian, and I am a friend of the Valerious family."

They surveyed me, critically. "I was a close friend of Valken Valerious a few years ago but then all the trouble with Dracula and vampires and such like came up. So Valken bid me go to another village for a short while." I explained but I wasn't sure whether any of them believed me at all. They all sneered and it was quite obvious that they thought I was lying, "Look I have no way to prove it to you, you'll just have to trust me."

A large, plump man sneered, "We don't trust strangers." He told me and I put my hand to my chest and then felt the necklace hanging there.

"I don't have a way to prove it to you, except for this." I held up the necklace. It was a golden cross entwined with patterns and it hung from a golden chain. They gasped slightly and I smiled at them triumphantly. "I need your help. I'm looking for Anna Valerious. I couldn't find her up at the Manor. They all looked at me, sadly and turned away and began to walk back to their business.

Only a young barmaid remained behind, "She's dead." She muttered and then went to walk away.

"What?" I gasped and ran after her.

I caught her by the arm, "What do you mean she's dead? Surely it isn't so!"

The woman frowned sadly, "I am afraid so, Miss Amtarian. She died at Count Dracula's castle or so we heard. She went with that hunter guy to kill him, so her family would be rid of Dracula's curse. She never came back, except as a dead body. That man, Van Helsing, he's the one who was with her but he left a few days ago with Carl…" she said 'Carl' rather dreamily and I wondered why but then I shook it out of my mind.

"Do you know where they went!" I asked frantically.

The woman shook her head and looked at me thoughtfully, "No, but Carl did mention something about the fact that he was a friarin the Vatican City. Maybe that is where they both went?" She added hopefully.

I nodded. Maybe this time I would find the answers I looked for. I turned back to untie my brown horse and the barmaid placed her hand on my arm.

"If you do catch up with them, will you tell, will you tell Carl, tell him…just tell him that I enjoyed his company."

She smiled and I smiled back, "Sure, but who shall I say the message was from?" I asked, mounting my horse.

The woman looked up at me, "My name is Maria, if you tell him that he will understand what you mean." She nodded and I gave her one last smile and then spurred my horse forwards, out of the village and into the wide countryside of Transylvania.

Chapter 4

Van Helsing's POV

Thank goodness we are almost at the Vatican. Whenever I looked at the landscape surrounding Transylvania I shivered, memories of my beloved Anna flooding back. I shook my head and urged the horse I was riding forward. The mountains and forests flashed by around me and as soon as they appeared they were gone as I rode with all haste to Rome, trying to get as far away from Romania as I possibly could. I didn't want to remember the events which happened in Romania and wished that I had never went there. Although I suppose Anna would have been killed anyway, even if I hadn't intervened, and Dracula would still be alive. But at least now I knew that Anna was safe with her family and Dracula had long gone to his death in the fiery chasms of Hell. Carl's voice piped up and it shook me from my thoughts and back to the present day.

"What did you say Carl?" I asked, leaning towards him.

He smiled, "I said that we were nearing the Vatican now. It is about an hour away." He explained with a smile on his face.

I smiled along with him, "Oh right thanks. I am glad to be out of that cursed land now." I told him and slowed my horse slightly to ride alongside of him.

He sighed and spoke quietly, "Yes I agree…although…" I looked at him, an eyebrow raised, "It was good to be out of the abbey. Not entirely my idea of a perfect holiday but you can't complain that it was boring!" he joked and I laughed.

"You see Carl. It is different going on a mission than reading about one. Much more fun for one thing."

Carl looked at me, wide-eyed, "Yeah but definitely more dangerous! I swear that vampirey-baby thing almost attacked me and Maria" I smiled and shook my head,

"Carl." I muttered, shaking my head even more. Then my head snapped up suddenly, "Maria?" I asked curiously.

Carl smiled and said, "Oh just a friend I met in the village." I raised an eyebrow questioningly and from the look on his face I worked out the rest.

"Oh so a friend was she?" I asked putting a lot of emphasis on the word friend.

He muttered, "Yes, yes of course. What else would she be!" And he turned away quickly.

I laughed and said to him, "Oh Carl! First cursing and now this, you are a monk!"

He turned round and he knew I understood about him and Maria and he smugly told me, "Well actually I'm just a friar!" I nodded in agreement and then I dismounted my horse when I realised we were very close to the Vatican.

Carl's POV

Van Helsing was really beginning to worry me. He seemed so sad and I wished I could say something to make him feel better. The death of beautiful Princess Anna dwelled on me too and is was grievous but not as much as Van Helsing who I noticed was taking it rather badly. I had tried to make him laugh and keep his mind off her when we were riding and as we neared the Vatican City. I told him and he snapped out of his thoughts and spoke to me.

"Oh right thanks. I am glad to be out of that cursed land now." He said to me.

I sighed slightly and spoke quietly to him, "Yes I agree…although…" He looked at me, an eyebrow raised, "It was good to be out of the abbey. Not entirely my idea of a perfect holiday but you can't complain that it was boring!" I joked and I saw him laugh. Ahh good at least I had put a smile on his face. "You see Carl. It is different going on a mission than reading about one. Much more fun for one thing." He explained smugly and I frowned, "Yeah but definitely more dangerous! I swear down that vampirey-baby thing almost attacked me and Maria". Suddenly I thought of Maria, her beautiful brown hair and perfect, unmarked skin.

"Carl." Van Helsing muttered, shaking his head even more. Then his head snapped up suddenly, "Maria?" he asked curiously. I smiled as I remembered that night at Valerious Manor and said, "Oh just a friend I met in the village." I saw him raise an eyebrow questioningly and from the look on his face I knew he'd worked out the rest. "Oh so a friend was she?" he asked, knowingly, putting a lot of emphasis on the word friend.

I turned to him and muttered hastily, "Yes, yes of course. What else would she be!" And I turned away quickly to avoid his piercing gaze and hide the blush, which had crept onto my face. I heard him laugh from behind me and he chuckled, "Oh Carl! First cursing and now this, you are a monk!" I turned round and I realised that he knew about me and Maria and I told him smugly, "Well actually I'm just a friar!" I joked and he shook his head even more as he dismounted his horse. I did the same, "Although the adventure was quite fun while it lasted, rather exciting and exhilarating!" I said out loud and he turned to me, "You call being chased by three vampire brides, Dracula and a werewolf fun?" he asked and I realised what I had said, "Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean it to sound like I enjoyed the fact that …" But he put a hand up to silence me as I tripped over my words.

"It's all right Carl, I understand what you mean. But I can tell you it's no fun when you kill one then you hear their voices at night, haunting you!" I looked at him surprised. He had never mentioned that before, "What do you mean, Van Helsing?" I asked but he shook his head and pulled his hat down lower over his eyes, ignoring my question.

"It was kinda thrilling though until well people started getting killed and Anna…" My hand flew to my mouth in surprise. Had I really said that out loud? I wondered if he had heard me and bit my lip but he just grunted and began walking up the steps to the abbey. I scuttled along after him, worried that I had made him more upset over Anna's death…

Gabriella's POV

I gazed at the woods now as I led my horse over the muddy, gravely ground and I was constantly alert for any signs of movement. These woods made me shiver in fear and I drew my cloak closer about my body. I shivered once more as the day grew darker. Suddenly clouds veiled the full moon, leaving the woods in darkness. I gasped in terror and pushed my horse forward, eager to get out of the mysterious forest as quickly as possible. I breathed a sigh of relief when some of the moonlight shone through the clouds but still it made it dangerous and impossible to ride in the dark like that. I sighed heavily and slowed my horse into a slow walk. Suddenly a twig snapped behind me and I jumped in fright. Then I heard a screech of a bird and I sighed, it was just an owl. Then I heard a louder sound, a rumble of thunder sounding in the distance. A flash of lightening followed soon after, lighting up the night sky with bright flashes of light. I heard a rustling sound in the trees behind me and I heard footsteps approaching but then I was distracted by a loud scream, followed by a blood-curdling screech from the sky. I looked up and saw a bat shape fly overhead but it was huge. Like no flying creature I had ever seen or heard about before, except for…no it couldn't be! "Vampire!" I muttered to myself as the dark shape flew right overhead and swooped down towards the forest. Terrified, I jumped down from my horse and grabbed the rope around her neck. My grip on the rope was tight and for my own safety I drew the only weapon I had, a short sword. Slowly and silently I stepped forward and I heard another screech of the 'thing' coming closer and closer. So I ran as quickly but as quietly as I could forward but still the thing approached. My horse neighed behind me as it stopped, dead in its tracks. "Come on!" I whispered harshly at it, tugging at its reins but it wouldn't budge. It seemed held by some unseen force. Panting heavily I tried with all my might to pull it forward, but with every second the thing got closer. "Fine." I muttered and dropped the rope of the horse, which cantered off into the trees, neighing loudly. "Oh no!" I sighed but I heard the swift flapping of wings and then I heard the horse's neighs stop and I heard the 'bat creature' cry in triumph. Terror, gripped every part of me and my heart pounded painfully against my rib cage so I ran forward, as fast as my legs would carry me and I kept on running until I came to a clearing on the edge of the forest. I stopped and doubled-over, panting and gasping for breath. I heard a crunching of leaves, behind me and a menacing male voice (with a heavy Romanian accent) said, "Oh wonderful, I love fast food. It always seems to taste better." I gasped in shock, clutching my sword tightly as I turned round to face the 'creature'…

(A/N- Dun, dun dun! Sorry to leave you on a cliff hanger guys but all will be revealed in the next chapter. I am sure you can probably guess whom the voice belongs to! I think it's pretty obvious anyway but whatever. Oh yeah and the woman who spoke to Gabriella is that woman who Carl saved when the vampirey-kid things attacked and then they umm spent some time together. Well we never really heard what happened with her and Carl in the movie either so I made her name up and she might be in the story, I dunno yet! Also forgive me for the name: Gabriella Amtarian. I am not so good with names and I made the surname up completely! Gabriella well that came from ummm a certain 2 twins who released a song a few years back and well if you know who I mean you will understand! 'cos they were Transylvanian I believe and I kinda like the name Gabriella too! Oh and one last thing when I said about the golden cross necklace that Gabriella meant I was referring to the necklace like what Anna wore. In the movie I believe Anna and her father wear one? I am not sure, I thought the necklaces were some kinda family thing so that people knew they were on of the Valerious. I dunno whether Velkan had one but you see Gabriella was supposed to be like a really close family friend and very close to Velkan in particular. I figured that she might of loved him, I dunno. Tell me what ya think if I was to go in that direction, please? Thanks for reading anyway and please r/r. I don't really mind flames I guess! . )