Thank you 'vampgirliegirl' for helping me out in this chapter. I hope this chapter is what you pictured! I had to add a couple things For everybody else, my computer deleted all files relating to Queen and Pope, so I forgot where this story is headed. So, bear with me as I try to spit out more chapters while wrestling lay off issues and the occasional cookie shortage. Thanks for your patience! I can't promise I'll be faster at chapters but hopefully it won't take me half a year to write another chapter. XD

Anders was dead silent as he stared down at the draculina sprawled on the couch, his glasses shining bright off the reflection of the table lamp. In his hands he grasped a thick blanket, halfway in the act of covering her with it but stopped dead with the look of shock written all across his face. She smiled back at him as she giggled in her sleep, her innocent bliss part of the reason why he was floored. She let out a slow whine and a shiver making him snap back into reality, shaking his head as he finished covering her up before sitting back on his heels and frowning at her face. She smiled in response.

He had found her curled up on the sofa with a book across her bosom and her feet tucked neatly near her body, eyes closed and fast asleep as she dreamed whatever it was vampires dreamed. He'd found it amusing to say the least, with the drool running down her chin and the low mumbles that escaped her lips she seemed almost cute. Immediately he snorted at the thought as he gave her a scolding look (not that she could've seen it) before retreating up to his room for a blanket. He wasn't sure if vampires felt cold or not but at least it was a show of caring.

"Ya shouldn't be sleepin' out 'ere, ya silly heathen." Anders scolded her as he flopped the blanket on the floor and gently took hold of her feet, pulling them further down the couch with a dull huff. Seras whined a little at first before letting out a sharp squeak, her body pulling sharply away from him before she let out a couple giggles in her sleep. He frowned as she giggled at him, his eyes turned to her face as he tried to spot if she was awake and fooling with him. She wasn't.

"Stop that Alex, it tickles." she mumbled as she pressed farther back into the couch. Anders snorted at her playful tone before seizing her and pulling back to where he'd wanted her. She squawked again but didn't jerk away, her body instead shifting about to find a new comfortable position. Anders didn't stop his huff in complaint as he waited for her to find her position, mentally counting out the other tasks he still needed to complete. He hadn't meant to actually stop after all, he was a busy man sharpening his weapons and teaching children.

"Alex...?" Her groggy tone made him grumble as he realized she'd stopped moving. Seizing the chance he grabbed the blanket and threw it over her legs, starting to pull it up when he felt it. Small dainty fingers wrapping into the fabrics of his shirt, hesitantly pulling on it in an childish fashion. Frowning he turned to scold her and make her let go, to inform her that she was to behave herself if she wanted to sleep there but the look he saw made the words fail him.

She looked so human. Blonde hair tussled while pouty plump lips begged for a kiss, her slender hands clutching onto his shirt childishly. Anders felt his eyes travel unwillingly from her long legs and firm buttocks to the long blond hair and flawless face. She was a beauty, he couldn't deny it, but a beauty with teeth. Literally. Too many good men died by forgetting that with her kind and he was determined not to be one of them. He let out a determined growl before slowly attempting to pull away from the fingers. She whined again in response.

"Alex, don't go." she mumbled though her fingers released his shirt, her face pinching with distress as she tried to find him in her dreams. The hand atop of the book tightened, her body tensing as she shifted in an attempt to see him better. Anders blinked at her, his glare morphing into shock as she continued to look for him yet seemingly failed. Her voice began to whimper as she clutched at air, her once smiling face long vanished. "...Alex? Please... come back. Don't go, not like Daddy."

Despite everything in his mind, all the curses and warning bells, he found his stone heart going soft as she whined. He watched her for a while, mumbling and reaching as she shivered pitifully. He let out a low sigh, eyes softening as he let go of the blanket and reached over to ruffle her hair. She paused, lips twitching as she furrowed her brow in confusion for a moment. Noticing her stillness, he let out a low sigh and rubbed her scalp gently. She hummed softly in return.

"I ain' goin' nowhere lass." He mumbled gently, his palm drifting down to cup her cheek. His eyes softened as he rubbed her cheek with his thumb causing her smile to slowly return. A smile grew across his own face as he chuckled softly despite the feelings seconds before. He rolled his eyes as she got a goofy expression on her face, snuggling against his hand with a happy coo. "Yer somethin' aren't ya, ya wee monster?"

"Alex..?"

"Aye lass?" Anders asked as he pulled his hand away to grab the blanket again. Seizing it he began to pull up with a low hum. "Whot da ya need?"

"You've got a nice bum." She slurred innocently as she snuggled deeply into her pillow. Anders stopped his movement as she continued to smile up at him. Anders was dead silent as he stared down at the draculina who was sprawled out on the couch, his flashing glasses hiding the wide eyed stare he gave her. She smiled on, blissfully ignorant of her words as she continued to drift in dream land. Yet Anders couldn't stop his jaw from dropping as he tried to catch his brain up with what she said. After a moment he paused, eyebrows furrowing as she waited for his response. Letting out a whine, she shivered as her dreams began to turn sour again. Jerking back to present, Anders quickly finished covering her as he hushed her. Hearing his voice, she smiled again. "Alex..."

"Jost sleep, draculina." He whispered softly, coaxing her into settling though now she reached for his hand. Sighing he gave it to her, allowing her to take hold of his hand despite wanting to leave her and go about his own business. Taking a seat on the floor with his back against the couch, he let her snuggle against his arm with a sigh as he looked around for something to occupy his time. Spotting the book that now lay sprawled on the ground he shrugged, picking it up and peering curiously at the cover. Seeing the shirtless man and the dangerous vixen on its front, he let out a low sigh but opened it to the first page anyway and started to read.

Three hours later

Seras mumbled as she hugged the pillow she pressed her face into, grumbling unhappily as sleep began to fade from her mind. The warmth it gave her was too comfortable and it felt like ages since she had slept this well. Warm pillows were hard to come across after all, the only warm pillows she'd found was Anders. Maybe that was were this pillow came from. After all, it still smelled like him and it felt almost like it was moving. She smiled warmly, curling deeper into it. Yes, nice and warm.

"Feelin' better lass?" Anders warm drawl made her frown, confused why her pillow pulled away a little as his warm breath blew past her ear. Startled pulled back a little and cracked open an eye, peering groggily at the blurred face in confusion. Noticing it he gave her a low snort but remained still, waiting for her to realize for herself just what position she'd left him in. He was already near done this book after all and his arse had lost feeling hours ago. "Whot? Ya didn' forget 'bout usin' meh arm as a snuggle toy?"

"I... don't remember falling asleep. What happened?" Seras mumbled as she released him, yawning as she rubbed her eyes and sat up. He watched her for a moment before returning to the book, figuring he may as well finish the damn thing now that he was on the last chapter and most importantly, the main lady had to choose between two men. A tense time indeed. Noticing his lack of an answer, Seras blinked before leaning against his shoulder to read over his head, curious what he'd managed to grab only to let loose a gasp as she lunged for it. "Alex! How could you?!"

"Oi! Whot 're ya doin'?" Anders yelped as he jerked away from her, keeping the book out of her grasp as he swatted back at the determined vampire. Grabbing at her scruff he yanked her roughly off the couch and onto the floor, growling darkly in threat to still the flustered woman. She huffed at him, lunging again for the book though she missed and instead landed across his lap with her bottom high in the air and her face kissing the floor. Anders snarled as he seized her rump and yanked her back upright, holding the book high above his head as he wrestled with the vampire. She shouted something as she lunged high, reaching again for the book and effectively shoving his face in her breasts. Still, he held it far from her reach and pulled her into a sitting position with his free hand.

Face to face, they puffed at each other with the look of both shock and determination on their faces. They eyed one another, ready for any sudden movements as Anders slowly lowered the book (still out of her reach) and gave Seras a low growl. "Whot 'n the hell wos that about, vampire? I dun like being mauled!"

"You... you're a priest!" Seras answered with a scolding glare though redness lit up her cheeks, her face tilting away from him as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. He snorted at her in response as he tried to understand where she was coming from. Realizing she'd have to explain herself more, Seras turned deep red and made an awkward hum as she tried to think of a way of wording it. "You're... suppose to be a holy man, not reading romance novels. Isn't that a sin?"

"...Eh?" Anders blinked as he frowned up at her again. "Yer tellin' me ya mauled me fer a book? If ya were shy 'bout yer readin', don't leave it out 'n da open."

Seras opened her mouth to protest but he growled at her, quieting her into submission as he continued to lecture her.

"As fer de sinnin', no! T'aint a sin ta read it. Da book 's just a temptation fer sinnin'." Anders scolded sharply. "Me readin' this is no more a sin den you lookin' at meh ass. Oi, whots with the look? Dun look so 'orrified lass, ya said I had a nice 'on in ma sleep. Though, I never pegged ya fer a bum kind of lass but weh all 'ave our cranks. Honestly, whoot 'm I suppose ta do wit you? Silly woman."

"I said that to you? In my sleep?" Seras gasped in horror at the annoyed looking priest. "What else did I say? Oh no, what if I started talking to master? It's no wonder he laughs at me if I told him even half of what was going on in my dreams! This is horrible!" Seras groaned as she flopped her head onto his chest and hid her face from whatever laughed at her in her mind. Anders just snorted at her in response as he rolled his eyes, reaching back and patting her gently on the back. "This really isn't fair."

"Well, yer ma wife now so da only person you c'n mumble to is me." Anders pointed out with a roll of his eyes. "Whotever yer dreams are, least 'll tell ya straight 'bout 'em."

"I felt better not knowing." Seras grumbled though she settled against his chest with a sigh. Anders rolled his eyes in return as he gave her a rather doubtful look before resuming his settled position on the couch, eyeing the book still firmly gripped in his hand. Noticing his lack of response, Seras followed his eyes to the book and gave him a quiet snort. "Honestly, a priest reading erotica. What would your pope think of this?

"I tink da pope would beh m're concerned 'bout da draculina straddlin' ma lap 'n a skirt." Anders answered dryly as he gave her a look. She stared at him for a long moment before glancing down at their positions. She stayed still for a moment longer before letting out an embarrassed shriek and shooting to her feet and tearing out of the room, her face gone beet red as she stuttered out some sort of sentence. Anders watched her go with a low chuckle before returning to his book with a hum. She'd be back of course but by then he'd have hoped to end the chapter and figure out if the main lady went with richboy jerk or playboy cowboy. Neither were a good match in his opinion but trashy novels were trashy novels after all.

Now if only he could see his own lovelife was so easy.

A short chapter but my computer is threatening to delete this file again so I thought I'd post it anyway. :X
Hope it had some cuteness to it and with some luck, I'll get my roadblocks out of the way. Wish me luck and I hope you guys have a good time! Until I write next

Cookiethief