Catharsis

The broken doorway into the building once called 'home' had a piece of stucco hanging by a thread of material. It slowly turned by the breeze created as one of it's former residents stood there, watching it spin before stepping foot inside. What was once a living room was a mess, debris strewn about on the couch and love-seat. Just before the former resident were two, mute piles of ash. There they were, side by side.

The remnants of the vampires that were Dragos and Marian.

Dorian knelt down, staring at the piles for a few lingering moments before his hands came out to grasp at the ash piles. A handful of ash each came to be in his hands, the pale grey turning darker as they were moistened by tears of blood.

Why them? Why did it have to be them? The dhampir, now in a place of solace, let himself cry. His fists clenched as the dry bits of ash sifted through his fingers. the tears of blood began to collect upon the hardwood floor before being covered by Dorian's hands, staining his skin. His voice grew louder with every sob, his fists pounding into the floor.

"WHY?" he cried out. "Why couldn't I go with you? WHY? WHY?"

Seras watched quietly from the doorway as the half-blood wailed to the heavens his woes. It was all too familiar terrain for her. She remembered the days when she cursed the powers-that-be for not letting her go with her parents after they were killed. With orders from Integra, she was sent to watch what Dorian did lest he go berserk and go on a killing spree. Yet her heart went out to the dhampir, a gloved hand reaching out tentatively before retreating, keeping quiet as she watched Dorian in his sorrow.

"Why are you here?" the voice surprised Seras, jumping a little before seeing that Dorian was looking behind him directly at her. "H-how did you know I was here?"

"I know your scent. I AM part vampire, you know." Dorian replied, his voice shaky, but much more composed than a few minutes before. "Why are you here?"

"Uhm, o-orders from my boss."

"FIgures. That woman can't keep her nose out of business can she?" Dorian said, the words hinting at irritation but Dorian was too emotionally worn to give them the emotion they needed as ammunition. The Police Girl said nothing, choosing to keep eye contact until Dorian broke it by looking at the floor. "What are you standing there for?"

"Oh! Uhm, just wanted to g-give you space, y'know?" Seras didn't know why, but the step she took inside the ravaged house felt heavy and all too familiar. For once, Dorian had to give the Police Girl credit, she knew her boundaries at least. And judging from how she is acting, she definitely was not there when Alucard was on his killing spree. "You never told me your name, by the way."

"Oh! I'm Seras. Seras Victoria." Wiping the tears out of his eyes, he stood up uneasily to extend a hand to her. "Dorian. Sorry about earlier."

"No no! I-I understand. It's okay." the fledgling replied, extending her own hand out and shaking his briefly. "You're still angry, I can tell."

"And sad, don't forget." Dorian added, his voice low as he looked at the two piles of ash once again. Seras took notice of the piles, seeing the connection. "I-I'm sorry, Dorian."

"It's not your fault. I just wish I could have said good-bye to them, y'know?" the dhampir's shoulders shook as he felt the sorrow wash over him again. "If only-"

"Shhh…" Seras gently wrapped her arms around Dorian's shoulders, hugging him tightly, herself silently weeping for what she lost. Instinct and a desire to reach out let the half-blood to reach and hug the fledgling vampire as well, comforting her as well as himself.

They stood there for what felt like forever, the tears running low and the sorrow ebbing. When they finally broke the embrace, Seras wiped her eyes with her glove. "Do…do you still want company or…?"

"It would be appreciated, yes." Dorian sniffed, trying to regain his composure. "I think a walk might do me some good. Wanna come with?" Seras didn't need to say a word, walking out the door before he did, with him catching up.

By the time they had gotten back to the remnants of Dorian's home, the moon had set, with the sky on the horizon beginning to lighten. Dawn was arriving, the sky on the horizon a pink tint before fading into the navy of the sky. "Oh, how lovely." Seras watched the sky from the window. "I've never seen the sky get like this before."

Dorian looked out the window as well, getting a small smile on his face as he watched the world go from dark to light ever so slowly. "Magic Hour."

"What?"

"Magic Hour. I've heard this is the time that filmmakers like to use to film times when it's dawn or dusk in the story." A yawn and body stretch followed his statement, feeling fatigue set over him as the sun began his journey over the horizon. "God, I need sleep. Too much going on in less than…god knows how long."

"I would stay, but I doubt you have room in your coffin for more than one person." Seras said sheepishly, feeling fatigue set in for her as she gained the contagious yawn. "Besides, I crave an actual bed, for once." she moped a little at the thought of sleeping on dirt in a tiny space once again.

"Buy a ton of blankets. It's what I do for mine. I may have some spares lying around as well as pillows." Dorian smiled for once, a warm genuine smile that Seras picked up on. "Thank you so much."

"Y'know…" Dorian said, looking Seras with contemplative green eyes. "You are nothing like him."

"Like who?"

"Alucard."

"M-master? No no no!" Seras laughed nervously. "I'm not as trigger happy as he is. Then again…I'm still dealing with me being a vampire anyway."

"How long ago did he turn you?"

"Less than a month ago." Dorian nodded at this. Even he had a hard time accepting the fact that he was a dhampir for a good three months after begin told. "I can relate. But it settles in at its own pace. Don't fret over it. Just go and get some sleep, okay? I MIGHT see you tomorrow."

"Might? Uhm, you don't really have a choice." Dorian turned to look at the fledgling vampire. "What do you mean?"

Seras tapped her fingers together nervously, biting her lip as well before she spoke. "M-master and Sir Integra are both of the belief that you will…you will come to the Manor and stay with us."

This sent the dhampir's mind into a rage. How DARE they think they could just control what he would do like he was some puppet or something! It was a load of crap, being treated like a sheep. yet, something in him told him to go ahead and go with after all this was said and done. But what was it? "Sorry to break it like this to you." Seras said sadly, turning to walk out the broken doorway.

"Seras. When you go back there, tell Integra I am coming back. But on two things. One, not right away. Two, it's not because of my Dad either."

"Then what is the reason?"

"You. I…don't know why but I feel okay being around you. You've been through crap as have I. I feel like I can-dare I say it-trust you." This admission made Seras blink rapidly. He trusted her? Maybe it's the fact that he has a semblance of a sibling now, and she felt it too, though on the same scale or less than Dorian did she would never know.

"I will go back there, but only because of you. Even if you do look like an air-headed bimbo." Dorian smirked, making Seras fluster. "Bimbo?"

"Night, Seras!" Dorian yelled out, heading into his former bedroom, leaving Seras alone in the ravaged living room. "Of all the-I am not a bimbo! Just because I'm more developed in certain areas does not mean…" Her ranting made her stomp out of the house, passing by the piece of stucco hanging on by a thread, where it finally fell, blowing in the breeze and next to the mute piles of ash lying next to each other.