I wanna be there when you cry.
And when you're down I'll help you fly.
I wanna be the one you need.
I wanna be the one you breathe.
Today's the day will fade away.
Today's the day will fade away.
Today's the day will find our way grown.
Today's the day will fade away—

"Fade Away"—Seether

Seuche in Deutschland

Chapter XVII

On January the 21st Adrian, Lysander, Alcander, and Christian came upon a familiar site…home. And when the party entered Warakiya, Adrian chuckled.

"What is it, Uncle?"

"I was thinking about something."

"What's that, Dad?" asked Lysander.

"Well…I was remembering when I returned home from my final battle with my father in 1807. I remember that I had Cander on my lap, and Richter was telling me that he was never leaving home again. That he was finished battling Dracula, and that he was beginning to train Christian to succeed him…And I had some of the same thoughts that he did…And yet, I went on another adventure."

"Do you think you'll go on another one, Dad?" Alcander asked, sarcastically.

Adrian smirked. "Let me ask you, Cander. Do you want to go another journey where you have to fight the evil undead?"

"…No."

Adrian smiled. "That's what I thought…What about the rest of you?"

"I don't want to," Lysander said.

"Neither do I," added Christian.

"Exactly! You'd prefer to stay home with your wives and children…That's what I wanted to do." Adrian chuckled. "Of course, in Cander's case…I'm not certain what he wants to do, since he's not married yet."

"…I'm certain that I'll think of something."

"Something besides drinking?"

Alcander cocked his head. "Yes, Dad, something besides drinking!"

The party laughed, until Lysander returned them to a serious level.

"That's not all I'd like to do," replied Lysander.

"What else would you like to do, Sander?"

"I really…I really'd love to take Dana with me to Berlin sometime."

"Isn't now a good time?"

"Not with Sophia being so little."

"Your mother and I can always watch her."

"…Really?"

Adrian chuckled. "Of course! You should know how much we love that little girl."

Lysander smiled. "Thanks, Dad."

That afternoon, the Belmonts and the Tepeses, were at the Renards for a post-Christmas dinner. As the sun began to set over the snowy Carpathian Mountains, Alcander stood on his grandparents' balcony with a beer in his hand.

"Maybe I should? …Yes, I think I'll…"

But Alcander's thoughts were cut short, when the balcony door opened and Lysander joined him, with Sophia in his arms.

"Hewwo, Uncle Candor," Sophia said, while her father placed her on the ground.

Alcander chuckled, as Sophia toddled over to him. "Well, hello there, little girl!"

Alcander scooped Sophia up, and showed her the sunset.

Lysander smiled, as he ran his fingers through his daughter's hair. "Dana told me that she asked a lot about where her uncle was…Almost as much as she asked where her daddy was."

Alcander smiled, and tickled Sophia. "Well, I missed you too, little girl. You know how much I love holding you…Unless you need your diaper changed, and then I point you in the direction of your daddy."

Lysander chuckled. "And when that happens, I steer her in the direction of her mother…I thought I'd tell you that Dad visited Nicholas today."

"Nicholas? …Oh, yes, that homeless man from Berlin."

"Correct. Dad said he inquired of him in the village."

"What's his situation?"

"Very good, according to Dad. He found a job as a bartender at St. Benedict's Tavern."

"Oh, well, I'll have to stop by and see him."

Alcander returned Sophia to the ground, and the little girl toddled back to her father. Lysander, however, motioned his daughter to go inside, so he could talk more with his brother.

"When I first came out here I saw that you were staring off into space. Is there something on your mind, Cander?"

"N-no…No, not really."

Lysander smirked. "Well, because of the way you stuttered when you said, 'no' it makes me believe that there's something on your mind."

Alcander smiled. "Well, yes, there's one thing…"

"Is this 'one thing' a girl?"

"Well…yes."

"Does her name happen to be, 'Jessica'?"

"…Yes."

Lysander chuckled. "I thought so. So, do you want to discuss it?"

"No…not really…It's not a problem or anything. It's simply something that I've on my mind right now, and I don't want to discuss it with anybody."

Lysander nodded. "All right…but if you want to discuss it then let me know, all right?"

"Will do."

"Are you going to see her later?"

"Yes…I was hoping to see her after dinner."

"After dinner we're supposed to keep the family tradition and open presents from Grandma and Grandpa. It might be rude of you to simply leave right after opening them."

"Then I'll go talk to Grandma…I'll inform her that I've to visit someone very important after we open the presents."

After a hearty supper—and the gifts he had received from his grandparents—Alcander left his grandparents' residence and journeyed to Jessica's residence. Alcander knocked on the Sage's front door and Jessica's father answered.

"Alcander Tepes!"

"Good evening, Mr. Sage. How're you?"

"Wonderful! Looks like you're back from Prussia."

"Oh…you heard about that, I take it?"

Mr. Sage laughed. "Of course! Jessica told us everything."

Alcander smiled. "I see…Speaking of Jessica, where is she?"

"She's in her room. Why don't you go and surprise her?"

Alcander nodded. "Thank you."

Jessica sat at a desk and brushed her hair. Because her bedroom door was slightly open, she was able to see Alcander's reflection before he entered the room. Jessica gasped, and quickly embraced him. Alcander kissed her, and sat next to her on the bed.

"So tell me everything?" Jessica asked with a smile.

Alcander laughed. "Everything? That's quite a lot for me to cover."

Jessica placed her silky hand over his. "Well…you've plenty of time, don't you?"

Alcander chuckled, and grasped her hand. "Well…I suppose so…" Alcander recounted his adventure in Berlin, while Jessica leaned closer to him. "…So I guess that's everything…At least everything that I can remember."

"I knew that you'd come back all right."

Alcander sighed. "There were times when I didn't know that for certain…I'm certain that Sander, Dad, and Christian feel the same way that I do."

"I'm not challenging that, Alcander…But I knew that you'd come back."

Alcander smiled, and kissed her temple. "So tell me what happened when I was away?"

Jessica chuckled. "Except when the undead come to plague the country, nothing happens here."

"Well…what about New Years Eve?"

"It wasn't as good as the past New Years."

"Why not?"

"Because you weren't with me."

Alcander brought Jessica to his chest. "I know how you feel. I hated New Years in that Jewish ghetto. I wish that you could've been in Prussia with me."

"…Do you think you'll have to leave the village again?"

"I hope not." And then he chuckled. "It's funny."

"What is?"

"I was having a similar conversation with Dad when we returned to the village."

"What did your dad say?"

"He told us a story about how he never planned to go on anymore adventures, after he defeated Dracula for the final time in 1807…And yet, he went to Prussia to help me and Sander…He said nobody wanted to leave their family to do battle with the undead."

"And you're the same way?"

Alcander nodded. "I am."

Jessica smiled.

And Alcander returned the smile. "I've a favor to ask you, Jessica."

"What's that?"

"What're the chances of you coming by my house this evening?"

Jessica giggled. "Well, I don't know about that, Alcander…"

But Alcander interjected with a kiss. "Please?"

Jessica blushed. "I'll see about it."