A/N- Thank you to my reviewers! Now, a little note about this fic. Each chapter will be named after the age Daniella is. And I won't be doing this year by year…that would take too long. It'll skip intervals, but I'll make it all fit by hitting the high points of the years you don't get to see. I hope that was somewhat clear. Anyhow, on with the fic.

I will not make the same mistakes you did.

I will not let myself

cause my heart so much misery.

I will not break the way you did;

You fell so hard.

I've learned the hard way

to never let it get that far.

-- Kelly Clarkson, "Because of You"

Year One

Daniella was not like other children that Alucard had seen or heard or heard about. Most children of a year's age and younger were squalling, almost uncontrollable beings who seemed to hate the very idea of moving, let alone anything else. Some begged for sweets while others begged for toys, and then there were some that did neither and appeared as quiet and peaceable as Daniella, only to reveal their inner selves the first time something they wanted was denied.

No, mostly Daniella was quiet, crying only when she had soiled her diaper or was hungry. Other times, she either sat quietly with Alucard on the front of the carriage they traveled in or she slept inside the carriage. Overall, this worried the dhampire. Did this mean he was raising this child right or wrong? And what harm must it do this human child to not have a solid place to call home?

That was why this morning, the morning of Daniella's first birthday, Alucard had resolved to find a home for them both. They were already quite far away from Eternal Night or anything else Dracula related. He wanted to find a little place outside of a small town where Daniella could have other children to play with. And this village they were traveling through now seemed a perfect candidate.

A knock from the inside of the carriage announced that she was awake. This was a system that the child herself had come up with. If she awoke inside the carriage and wanted out, she would knock on the inside roof. Alucard pulled the carriage off to the side of the dusty little road, next to the general store. He got down and opened the carriage door.

Daniella's smiling little face, framed by her golden locks and enhanced by her bright brown eyes, greeted him.

"Morning," she said, still with a bit of baby talk hinging on the word.

"Good morning. Are you hungry?" he asked, helping her out of the carriage and to the ground.

Daniella nodded as Alucard straightened out her little pink dress. He took her by the hand and led her into the general store. The man behind the counter was wary as he saw Alucard enter, knowing immediately from his supernatural looks and movement that he had some vampire blood in him. However, the man softened when he saw the little girl, clutching a finger of Alucard's hand--for that was all she could grip.

"What can I do you for today?" the man asked, brightening up a little.

"I need food and water supplies for a month's time. Also, what kind of children's toys do you carry?" the dhampire asked.

The man--obviously the general store owner--smiled. "We have all manner of dolls. Would the little one like a doll?" he asked, leaning past Alucard to speak directly to Daniella.

Instead of answering the man first, Daniella looked up to Alucard to see if it was okay. When he nodded, she said, "Yes, please."

The owner smiled in surprise. "So polite," he muttered, disappearing into the back.

When he had returned, he had a little stuffed doll, dressed in a pink dress very similar to Daniella's with red hair. He handed the doll to Alucard, saying, "It'll be just a little while longer to gather the supplies. If you'll wait outside, I'll bring it out to you and then we'll discuss payment."

Alucard nodded and led Daniella out the door. Once back at the carriage, he lifted her back inside and handed her the doll.

"Happy birthday," he said.

She smiled and grabbed the doll, hugging it tight. Alucard smiled. Raising this child was a whole new experience--a world new world--to him, and it was the little things that puzzled him. How, upon hearing her first word--which was "papa"--his heart had swelled with joy. How just making her smile or laugh made him smile and laugh. And how was it that when she was sad, it seemed to wrench his heart from his chest?

His thoughts were interrupted when the owner came out to bring him the supplies. Alucard helped him load them onto, and into, the carriage and then paid the man in gold coins. The owner then proclaimed that Alucard and Daniella were "welcomed anytime." As he turned to enter his store, Alucard stopped him.

"Tell me, do you know of any place one could settle down in this area?" Alucard asked.

The owner laughed. "Well, as a matter of fact, I do. I have a cottage adjoining my land just outside of town. Well, I say adjoining…it's actually a good bit from my house. I'd be willing to let you and your daughter live there if you would accept a certain job," he said.

The way the owner had said "job" made Alucard's demeanor darken. He turned and told Daniella to shut the door to the carriage. Pulling herself fully inside, she did so without question. Alucard then turned back to the owner.

"What job is this?" he asked.

"First things first. My name is Joe Wilhelm. I kind of hold two jobs around here. You see, because I live outside of town near the forest, I also keep all the evil creatures and spirits that inhabit the forest from entering the town. To tell you the truth, I'm getting on up there in age, and I'm not as good as I used to be. Now, I know that you're more than human. I'd even go as far as saying that you were a dhampire, but I don't care about that. You seem like a good fellow and a loving father. I'd be willing to let you and your daughter live in that cottage, which is a whole other house itself, and even pay you a wage if you could take over the job of keeping the town safe from those things in the forest. What do you say?"

Alucard eyed Joe for a moment. Then, he held out his hand.

"Deal," he said.

Joe shook it with enthusiasm, gave him the directions to his new home, a note explaining everything to Joe's daughter, and went back into the store. Alucard pocketed the note and opened back up the carriage door. Daniella blinked at him.

"I've found us a home," he said.

Her little face brightened, and Alucard's heart swelled once more.

End Notes: Okay, so how was that? Now, the next chapter will be called "Year Five." See where I'm going with this? Please review!